Foxhunt
by Saro
Summary: Naruto clutched an Anbu mask so hard it bowed in his grip. It was a fox face, long-eared and grinning, with whiskers painted on its cheeks to match the young man who held it... Shikamaru had no idea how the mask had ruined his morning.
1. Prologue

Warnings: Strong language, violence, possibly angst, possible future yaoi and het, no pairings at the moment. Updates likely to be sporadic.

All feedback is welcome.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and I'm not making money off of this.

**Foxhunt**

Prologue

The morning had promised to be quiet, but somewhere along the line, it got off track. In fact, Shikamaru observed through his headache, it had turned into something entirely too chaotic for his taste.

Naruto clutched an Anbu mask so hard the silk-mache bowed under the tension in his grip. It was a fox face, long-eared and grinning, with whiskers painted on its cheeks to match the young man who held it. It wasn't really a pleasant mask. It looked aggressive, with its toothy smile tilting the eye holes to a malicious angle. It was hostile and angry, and more expressive than most of the animal masks ninjas wore. It also wasn't the mask Naruto had picked when they were sworn into the Anbu the day before. That had been a frog, and much friendlier than this one. Shikamaru had no idea how the mask had ruined his morning.

At least he wasn't alone in his confusion. Neither Hinata nor Sasuke seemed to know any more than him. Squinting against the light in Naruto's apartment, it wasn't really much of a consolation.

The Fifth Hokage's nostrils flared with her anger, her eyes flashed as she looked for somewhere to pace. The room was too small. Naruto's face was grimly blank, but his charka charged the air with a force Shikamaru had seen break rock without even touching it. By the window, Jiraiya wore a pensive expression and Kakashi's visible eye was tired. They all knew something here that the three of them didn't.

Shikamaru felt distinctly lost.

The apartment was trashed. The frog mask, cut into pieces and scattered across the floor. A few dishes had been broken, and packs of ramen broken open and thrown through the kitchenette. Clothes had been dragged out of their drawers in haphazard piles. Knickknacks were knocked off of shelves and lay upended on the floor. Someone had slashed the cushions of Naruto's couch, and dense white stuffing pushed out of the tears. Posters had been torn down. The word "monster" was written on one wall in some dark, unidentified liquid.

Beside him, Hinata shifted uneasily, her hands moving in an abortive gesture. Shikamaru knew how she felt. What were they supposed to do? He and Naruto weren't the best of friends, but he didn't hate the guy either, and he certainly didn't think he deserved this. Whatever this was. They were teammates. Should he be offended on his teammate's behalf? Get angry?

He wasn't angry. He was tired, and bothered by what he didn't understand. His headache pulsed, made him want to rub his temples.

Kakashi knelt to pick something up off the floor. It was a broken picture frame. Shikamaru couldn't see the photo from where he stood, but he could make out the older ninja's frown behind his mask. He set the picture down on the window sill. After two tries, he got it to stand.

"Will someone say something, please?" Naruto asked tightly. His charka crackled, nearly audible in the quiet apartment.

"Naruto - " Hinata began softly, but Tsunade's stronger voice overpowered hers.

"This happened while you were out?" the Hokage demanded, planting her hands on her hips and leaning over Naruto. Sitting down, his head was on the level with her breasts, Shikamaru noted, but he didn't even glance up.

Instead, Naruto snorted, and answered sarcastically. "No. I figured, hey, why not just let someone come in my home and tear the place up, you know? Seemed like a good idea at the time."

Tsunade's lips thinned. Naruto finally met her narrowed gaze. His expression was flat in a way that made Shikamaru want to squirm and look at the floor. The mask in his hands bent alarmingly, until he wondered if the lacquer would crack.

"Whoever did this was a ninja," Jiraiya said, breaking the staring match. "I doubt we'll find anything here."

"But why would anyone do this?" Hinata asked suddenly. She knelt as she spoke, picking up a coffee mug with a broken handle, then a ramen wrapper, a bulbous bit of mask that might have been a frog's eye once. No one responded, watching her. When she picked up a sweater, unfolded it, and then added it to her growing pile upon finding it cigarette burnt, they finally realized what she was doing: she was cleaning up.

Shikamaru sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and ignoring the sense of helping her. He knew Naruto wasn't the most popular person in the village - hell, Shikamaru's own mother seemed to have a grudge against the guy - but he couldn't think of any reason why someone would be motivated to be this cruel.

"Well?" Sasuke said after another moment without response.

"I'm sure I have no idea why they did it," Tsunade said, her hands balled into fists at her side. "But I intend to find them."

"Really? Care to enlighten us as to how?" Jiraiya's voice was even, unconfrontational, but only he would have said that to the Fifth.

"What do you mean?" she replied tartly.

The frog sennin shook his head. "How are you going to find the culprit?" His lined face looked very old this morning. Though, Tsunade's false youth looked more brittle than normal as well. "You're looking for a ninja, in a shinobi village. No offence, but I wouldn't have the vaguest idea where to even start."

"There's bound to be some sort of clues here - " she began heatedly, then cut off abruptly, throwing her hands in the air. "What would you suggest? I do nothing?"

"I'm not saying that, but you won't be able to find them."

"I'm the Fifth Hokage," Tsunade hissed. "I think I can find a few fucking vandals!"

"Yes, I imagine you could." Jiraiya agreed. "But you would have to exert yourself as Hokage to do it. Are you willing to respond that drastically to some harassment?"

That stopped her. Mouth open to argue, she paused, silent while she registered his words. Shikamaru was glad they seemed to make sense to her. He didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Why the hell wouldn't they try to find the vandals? Why would it take the Hokage's power to track them down? His head throbbed sullenly.

"Why," he asked aloud, "are you making it sound like the whole town is suspect? There's got to be a motive. Start there."

And there it was again. That thing that Naruto and Kakashi, and the sennin knew, that he didn't. It flashed in their eyes, and in the awkward way they looked at him, then away quickly. The way they frowned. It was in Tsunade's softening resolution to argue, and Jiraiya's bitter victory.

"We can't not respond, though," Kakashi said. His attention still seemed fixed on the framed picture. "That would seem unnatural as well."

Tsunade nodded in defeat while Shikamaru watched dumbfounded.

"Unnatural." Sasuke repeated into the resigned quiet that followed. "What do you mean unnatural? Aren't you going to try to find who did this? Isn't that what the police are for?" There was no heat in his voice, nor ice, but something black and sharp as a coated blade. "Well?"

"Sasuke," Kakashi said in a tone that remembered that the other had been his student once. "Don't - "

"Don't what?"

"Don't worry about it," Naruto interrupted, reminding them all that they were all still in his apartment, that he was still sitting right there. Even with his charka pulsing at the edge of his senses, Shikamaru had nearly forgotten him. Jaw set in a firm line, he looked up at them all from under taut brows. "Don't bother looking for them. Don't bother asking. I'll wear this mask. Really, it sort of suits me better anyway, don't you think?"

"No," Tsunade told him firmly. "I don't think so."

Shikamaru had to disagree. Just then, with out the smile that normally turned his angular features into something goofy and affable, it did.


	2. One

Warnings: Violence, strong language, adult situations, possible angst. Genfic, but possible future het and yaoi. No pairings for the moment.

I don't own Naruto and I'm not making any money for writing this.

All feed back is welcome, and many, many thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.

**Foxhunt**

One

Sake slid down Naruto's throat, cloying, but warm and welcome after a day spent slogging through the rain. Scanning the bar, he poured another cup of sake. The room was dim and cluttered, giving an illusion of privacy to the booths that lined the back wall. Smoke hung in a dim pall, made the lamplight seem oily and turned the air harsh. The discordant rumble of conversation and intoxicated laughter played under the shamisen and the slow rise and fall of a raspy female voice. It was a bar. Not that fucking much to see, really.

The target sat alone at a corner table where he was methodically peeling the label off his bottle of beer.

Naruto closed his eyes as he sipped at his second cup. The heat of the alcohol spread through his mouth and his belly. At least no one had questioned his age when he looked like a weathered farmer. It was an advantage to crow's feet, he supposed.

The target, he reminded himself.

Shimamura Kisho. Age: thirty-two. Achieved the rank of chuunin at seventeen; never officially promoted to jounin. Shimamura was originally from the Hidden Smoke, Fire Country, but he deserted a mission shortly after his chuunin promotion. For several years, there was no record of him, until he resurfaced working as an assassin for a yakuza group. Then he sold out the yakuza to the Fire Lord's police.

Presumed to be high chuunin level in skill.

_Betrayed his yakuza boss,_ Naruto though, and shook his head. This guy was either stupid as shit, or he had a death wish.

Picturing the jerky motion of Kisho's fingers, he guessed it was the former. He snorted. Chickenshit, then.

He didn't look when a hand fell on his shoulder and Sasuke's familiar presence settled on the stool next to him, didn't respond to the voice that came from a mouth so close to his ear that he could feel the other's breath.

"That our man?"

"Yup," Naruto answered, taking another drink.

"How long has he been there?" The words stirred the short hairs on his neck.

"About twenty minutes, I guess. Nursing that one beer the whole time, too."

Sasuke snorted derisively. "And you?"

The blond opened his eyes, finishing his second cup of sake in a long pull. It burned all the way down in a way he'd learned to enjoy. "I'm good to go," he told his teammate, winking. "Why, worried?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and grunted a response that could have meant anything. "Has he noticed you?"

"Not yet. I was just getting to that."

"Ah."

A smile tugged at Naruto's lips. He cocked it at his teammate rakishly. "You better get outside, then. This guy will be moving like a bat out of hell the minute he knows I'm following him."

Sasuke's hand tightened on his shoulder. The heat from his hand mingled with that of the sake. "Don't hold back on my account. I'm ready when you are."

"Five minutes, then," Naruto said. "Better get your ass moving."

A smooth chuckle tickled Naruto's ear. He scratched at it absently, still not looking at Sasuke. "I'll do that. You just make sure he panics."

"Yeah, yeah. Four and a half now, prick."

Sasuke squeezed his shoulder, fingers digging in just enough to imply a threat with the friendly gesture. Then Sasuke was gone. The air moved sluggishly to fill the empty space. Naruto snorted wryly, his internal clock already counting down the seconds until he'd move.

Naruto tapped the countertop idly while Chickenshit still shredded his beer label. His hands shook; Naruto snorted. Chickenshit didn't seem very imposing. He certainly didn't look dangerous. Not with his fingers twitching like nervous birds. Naruto knew better than to underestimate an opponent—Chouji didn't look dangerous either, but he'd chalked up his first kill before Naruto himself. Kiba, on the other hand, could look as frightening as they came, but he didn't even work assassination. He was a capable fighter, but the fangs and claws didn't make him a killer. Still, Naruto couldn't help but doubt this man's prowess. He might have been a ninja once, but now his nerves were obviously shot.

Considering what he was up against, Naruto didn't really blame him.

With three and a half minutes left, Naruto signaled a waitress to bring him his bill.

The target still hadn't noticed him, he was sure of it, but Chickenshit's twitching became just a little more frantic. Probably because his contact was late. _If I sold out Tsunade, I'd be nervous too,_ Naruto thought. Of course, Tsunade wouldn't have hired people to take him out if he'd played her that way. She would do it herself.

A minute more passed, and the waitress brought him his tab. He counted out the money slowly, letting his mind fall back to the barrier between him and the fox inside him. He could feel the demon there, its utter disdain for every life other than its own a palpable thing. For Naruto, it held a sort of indulgent contempt. He felt that, too. Like nausea, or a wave of vertigo climbing up from the pit of his stomach. Paying the girl, he borrowed a bit of that hatred. It buzzed angrily between his ears, reddened his chakra.

Chickenshit stiffened, eyes rising slowly to meet Naruto's. Others looked his way too, but he ignored them. Thirty seconds.

The man froze, blanching. The corners of his mouth nearly turned grey.

Twenty-five.

Five seconds was four and a half too many. This guy was supposed to be tough. Five seconds was enough to have killed him already, if that had been the plan.

Twenty-three, and the target seemed to vanish. Naruto took off after him, putting on his mask as he went and releasing the illusion of a red-faced farmer. Cold, wet air burst around him as he ducked outside. Rain slapped his shoulders, chilling and immediate. The smell of smoke clung to him, thin in the open. White light was almost bright after the dim.

Twenty. Naruto wondered if Sasuke would be mad at him for being early. With that asshole, you never could tell.

He caught sight of the target at eighteen seconds, running the direction they'd figured he would if spooked. His footfalls were loud, and he kicked up mud as he went. Fifteen when the turd turned down the alley where Sasuke was waiting.

Too easy.

Chickenshit pulled up short just inside the mouth of the alley. _Too late_, Naruto thought grimly as he skidded to a halt behind him. Nowhere to go from here. Somewhere in the shadows, Sasuke waited; his presence was a patient intensity at the corner of Naruto's awareness. _No where to go from here._

"What now?" he asked. His hands were already moving into the familiar seals that went with the Kage Bunshin. The Kyuubi's chakra tinted his own faintly, like a hot wind under his skin.

Chickenshit turned toward him, drawing his wakizashi. It was meant to be a slow, resolute motion, but unsteady hands ruined it. Naruto was ready for the burst of blinding powder that followed. Ground pepper and mustard seed stung Naruto's nose, but missed his eyes. A clone was there to stop the target's rush back toward the street. Another three were waiting and ready - any more would have been too many for the small space.

Naruto snorted to clear his nose, shaking off the power that stuck to his arms and his clothes. It itched furiously on his skin for a moment. Metal shavings, or possibly broken glass. The discomfort passed quickly.

"That it? Yes. Good then."

That was all the warning before one of the clones attacked. The target barely blocked it in time. After the first clone came a second, then the real Naruto. A duck, a dodge, a parry that pushed Naruto's fist away from Chickenshit's jaw to glance harmlessly off his shoulder, and another clone falling in to take his place as they forced the fight further into the alley.

Naruto aimed a low kick at one of his opponent's legs while a clone leveled an elbow at his neck. Chichenshit lashed out finally, wakizashi striking only air in a desperate attempt to free himself from the melee.

_Fuck the plan. _A second cut went harmlessly wide. _I can finish this guy off myself._

Echoing that thought, a copy drew one of his kunai.

Chickenshit's eyes widened, as though he sensed the shift. He pivoted the direction of the new attack. A low kick made contact with his legs, and he stumbled, feet slipping in the mud and trash that clotted in the alley. Naruto's fist landed hard and blood spurted from his target's nose and mouth. The clone threw its kunai. The knife struck with an audible thunk.

Naruto leapt back. He knew that sound.

A block of wood fell to the ground with wet thud.

The target reappeared a few yards off, breathing heavily. Wild eyed and blood running down his face, the man fumbled with a scroll. His fingers slipped, smearing mud on the case, then it opened. Paper unfurled with a dry sound in the rain. Chickenshit shouted something, a summoning jutsu, and the ink on the page seemed the bubble outward. It warped and blistered until it finally cracked.

Naruto watched warily as the summon took shape. A broad head and muzzle, curved fangs, a lolling red tongue and smooth furred flanks coalesced, accompanied by the faint smell of sulfur. Angry little eyes, half lost in folds of loose skin, darted from clone to clone. A dog. A damn big dog, with big jaws and massive fucking feet, to be sure, but it was still just a dog. Its lips curled. Its growl rumbled like a motor and hackles stood on end.

Reaching for a kunai, Naruto narrowed his eyes. The dog was between him and his target, and Sasuke had yet to reveal his position. Naruto smiled, his clones doing the same. This was getting more interesting now.

The dog slunk forward a few steps, growling louder. Naruto tamped down the urge to growl back. There were five of him; more than enough to get past the dog and to its master.

Naruto waited while two of the others advanced on the spirit-dog. The dog snarled as it drew back. Curled lips showed off teeth that were too white to belong to a natural animal. The muscles under its smooth black coat rippled and bunched. The clones did their best to look threatening. Cloaked, with angry fox faces peaking out of their hoods and eyes glaring invisibly out of their masks, they did fairly well.

Naruto nodded a signal to the other clones; the echoed the gesture. He could have directed them with a thought, but he'd never quite broken himself of the habit; somehow it seemed wrong not to. He sensed their understanding. All they had to do was give Sasuke an opening.

"Alright, let's finish this twat off," one of the Narutos said under his breath, and the real one agreed

The dog barked, the sound rebounding sharply off the alley walls. He ignored the beast in favor of the summoner. Chickenshit stood, tense and panting. Too close to the wall - it would interfere with his weapon. Naruto tallied off the weaknesses to himself. The coward's hand flexed on his weapon's hilt. The wakizashi's blade wavered slightly, playing tricks with the shadows.

For a moment Chickenshit's gaze remained firm. His eyes were a hard grey-hazel, and flinty enough that the ninja could almost believe that he'd been formidable once, until they cut almost imperceptibly to the dog. Naruto moved.

A flash of surprise from one of his copies grabbed his attention before he'd taken his second step. That was all the warning Naruto had before the spirit-dog was on him. Enough time to half-turn into its attack. Then the dog's weight hit him in the chest. His back hit the ground and the air left his lungs in a surprised "ompf." He was aware of the impact first; the pain from his shoulder followed. The dog's massive jaws clamped down hard, and he was sure his bones creaked under the pressure. Better there than his neck.

A thought to the clones sent them all at the target. Naruto grimaced tightly. He could take care of some stupid dog on his own.

The dog still growled, the vibrations aching into its bite, but it didn't draw back or try to find better hold. Gritting his teeth, Naruto went for a kunai. There was no saying if he could kill the summoning as easily as he'd kill a real dog, but he didn't have any better ideas.

A little ways away, the clones pushed back their target nicely. He could feel a bit of their satisfaction with their success. The target's moves were getting wider, sloppier. It wouldn't be long before Sasuke had his chance.

He found the ring of a throwing knife with his finger and flipped it into his palm in a practiced motion. Deep breath. Naruto concentrated on his chakra, molding it to his free arm. He hoped it would be enough to make up for the momentum he'd lose from being pinned. If this didn't work, or the kunai didn't affect the spirit-dog, then he'd just have to think of something else.

Chakra whirled through his muscles, warm and faintly angry with the Kyuubi's lingering influence. Naruto took another deep breath.

For half a second, he was still.

Then he stabbed up, rolling into the bite, and burying the kunai as well as he could in the dog's neck. It yelped, the sound muffled by Naruto's shoulder. Its mouth opened a faction. Naruto tore free, leaving the kunai and more than a little skin behind. In an instant, he had his feet back under him, another kunai in his hand.

The dog growled harshly deep in its chest. Unfazed by the knife dangling from its neck, it gathered itself for another leap. Naruto braced himself for its lunge.

A sour feeling of disappointment from the clones, and the dog dissolved into smoke and ink.

Satisfaction was slow to replace the sullenness. The summoner was dead, and they hadn't done it. Shooting a glance further down the alley, he saw a figure taller than his own and swathed in dark Anbu colors. One tattooed arm was still out, holding a tanto which had been driven into the target's right eye, leaving him pinned between his assassin and the alley wall. Blood dripped down Chickenshits cheek and chin in grisly streaks. His body hung like a puppet, boneless and thoughtless, before Sasuke let him slide to the ground.

Naruto huffed and cancelled his Kage Bunshin.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked as he wiped his knife off on Chickenshit's shirt.

Rolling his shoulder, Naruto winced. "I will be. Need to clean this up, though."

A nod. "Hinata can look at it when we meet up with the other team. If we bandage it here, will it wait until then?"

It shouldn't. Mud and garbage, and gods alone knew what else, in a bite wound was asking for infection. But it would. Naruto nodded. "Don't worry about me. It's fine."

"Good. The others will be waiting." Sasuke's mask was black and nearly featureless. A red circle surrounded one eye. The lips were painted blue. Lumps on the strange face's brow may or may not have been horns. His head cocked to one side curiously as he asked, "How did the dog pick out the real you?"

"Fucked if I know," Naruto said, shrugging, then winced again. He hated shoulder injuries. "Luck, I guess. Or maybe that powder."

Sasuke made a thoughtful sound, pulling a long roll of bandages from his kit. Naruto held still while Sasuke made quick work of wrapping his shoulder and upper arm. He didn't comment when he saw the extent of the damage, which Naruto was grateful for, nor did he comment that the tattoo on Naruto's own arm was further faded than his, despite having been touched up more recently. Sasuke was a good guy that way, even if he was a prick.

When he finished, they packed away the bandages quickly and gave the area a cursory survey. With everything in order, they left Shimamura Kisho's body behind to cool with the rest of the trash.


	3. Two

Apologies, ff. net absorbed my original pagebreaks. The problem should be taken care of now.

Warnings: Strong language, violence, possibly angst, possible future yaoi and het, no pairings at the moment. Updates likely to be sporadic.

All feedback is welcome. Many thanks to those who reviewed the first two chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and I'm not making money off of this.

**Foxhunt**

Two

Hinata unwound Naruto's bandaged shoulder gently. In that, Naruto preferred her to any other med-nin he knew. Tsunade was one of the most skilled healers on the continent, but she would have smacked him for getting hurt in the first place and pulled the bandage off without a thought for how it jostled the wound, as long as she didn't do any additional damage. Sakura was a little kinder than her teacher, but that was like saying that burning your hand on the oven hurt less than being caught in a katon. It still fucking hurt. Hinata worked quietly, a soft touch with callused hands, while her gaze swept over torn skin and cloth.

She hissed under her breath when she finally saw the whole thing, and Naruto sighed. Incredulously, she asked, "How did you say you did this?"

"I didn't do it," Naruto said, leaning on his other arm so he could watch her while she dug through her pack. "The dog did."

Hinata paused, shook her head, but she smiled too. Then she went back to shuffling through jars and notes and envelopes. "You're lucky it's not worse, Naruto," she chided him softly.

"I'm always lucky," he told her, winking. This time it was Hinata's turn to sigh.

Presently, she found what she was looking for. Naruto recognized the black jar, and even if he hadn't, he would have remembered the nasty, astringent smell that hit him when she opened it. He sat quietly while she cleaned his wound with a warm rag. She made soft, anxious sounds while she worked. Concentration wrinkled her brow and she chewed on her lower lip.

Outside, he could hear Sasuke's account of the fight and Shikamaru's questions. Rain droned against the roof, half covering the conversation.

"…Naruto followed him to the alley where I was already hiding," Sasuke said evenly. "There he engaged Shimamura using Kage Bunshin."

"This is where the dog comes in?"

"Shortly after that, yes. The target…"

When Hinata was satisfied that his shoulder was clean, she dipped her fingers in the antiseptic she'd found. It was cold, and it stung in the bite. Small, practiced hands smoothed across his shoulders, hurting him when she worked at a particularly deep gouge, and she made another of those worried little noises.

"…the summoning jutsu you described isn't particularly high class." Shikamaru remarked thoughtfully.

"I expected better from a yakuza hitman."

Shikamaru gave an exasperated moan. "Shit, only you two want your opponent to be stronger. Aren't you supposed to grow out of that?"

Naruto knew Sasuke was smirking.

A gust of wind blew rain against the window; it sounded like a handful of beads hitting the glass, and a draft cut through the room. The inn ought to spring for some better weather stripping.

"So how did your mission go?" he asked Hinata idly.

"Oh," she answered, frowning as she probed gingerly at a scrape where his shoulder had hit the ground. Every jab sent a twinge of pain up his neck. "Not as interesting as yours, it looks like." More poking, and Naruto winced. "Sorry."

"Ah, don't worry about it," he told her. "So that's it? It wasn't interesting?"

"Well, no. I'm not complaining. It just wasn't interesting. Nothing you would want to hear about. Does this hurt?" Another probe, and another twinge.

"Yeah. Not much though," Naruto said, and Hinata's frown deepened. Her eyes slitted. He coughed a little, attempted to distract her. "So did you kill the Tsuta guy, or did Shikamaru?"

"I did," she answered distractedly. "Hold still a moment." Making a seal, Hinata activated her Byakugan. A map work of veins suddenly lined her face, centered on her eyes.

"Now how in the world…?" she whispered to herself as she studied his shoulder. Returning to her pack, she pulled out a scalpel and a pair of tweezers. "Did you try some kind of healing jutsu on this?"

"No. Should I have?"

"It's not that, it's just…" she trailed off. Her attention was fixed on his shoulder as she made a careful incision just above one abrasion. Quickly wiping the blood away, she set down the blade and picked up the tweezers. "Sorry," she apologized before searching just under the skin. The tips of the tweezers brushed something, and Naruto yelped.

Hinata winced, then pulled.

"What is that?" He asked, gaze fixed on a gory bit held in the clamp.

"I think it's a piece of gravel," the young woman said pensively. As she relaxed, the ugly veins sunk down, leaving her face smooth. "I'd love to know how you managed that."

Naruto half shrugged.

More ointment, then she healed him. Her chakra seemed cool, and the healing itself itched furiously.

Outside, he heard Shikamaru tell Sasuke that they'd head back to Konoha as soon as the weather let up.

oOo

The Anbu office wasn't as quiet as Naruto would have imagined it when he was young. It wasn't full of solemn, masked ninjas just waiting to be sent out on dire, life threatening missions. It was actually sort of disappointing, at first, but it made sense too. Somehow, when you knew Konohamaru was behind that mask, or Moegi, or someone else you remember being a snot-nosed little punk, it ruined the mystique. Instead, there were offices and desks, and filing cabinets. There were racks of pigeon holes for scrolls, with signs over them that said "No Smoking." There was a broad, well swept lobby with uneven floorboards, and a lounge with a television and a dart board.

The dart board was an abused thing, the cork nearly gone in the bull's eye and around the triple ring.

Naruto waited to make his statement and get his money for the last job. Shikamaru had already given his and left to enjoy the rest of the day to himself. Hinata was giving hers. A little way down, Sasuke sat with his legs stretched across three seats, thumbing through a magazine.

The TV buzzed through a game show. Some cute little girl with a wide smile, narrow eyes and too much rouge on her cheeks bounced excitedly while the host's assistant uncovered her numbers. Naruto rolled his eyes. Sasuke flipped a page disinterestedly.

A couple of ninjas threw darts. Naruto knew the younger of the two somewhat from his second and third Chuunin exams. The other, Goro, was passed thirty; old for Anbu, since most people either died or moved on before then. Ayami, who made the third member of the other team, sat across the room from Naruto. She was still young enough to make hopeful eyes at Sasuke when she looked up from her book. If she tried to talk to Sasuke, then the wait would be less boring, but she seemed either too smart or too shy for that.

She wouldn't have been Sasuke's type, anyway. Even disregarding the fact that the Uchiha seemed to prefer men more and more the older he got, the few women he had ever shown an active interest in had all been very - Naruto searched his mind for the right word - not blunt, and not really honest either. They had been sincere, he supposed. Not coy. Ayami looked coy, glancing up from time to time. Hopeful brown eyes and just a hint of a cautious smile. Coy could be fun for a night in Naruto's opinion, or maybe even a week, but when women aimed at Sasuke, they meant to stay.

The cute girl on the game show squealed happily when the other contestant's numbers went to her instead. She'd been waiting for twenty-seven.

Another look, longer and more deliberate than the last.

Sasuke turned another page and grunted thoughtfully, pointedly ignoring the young woman's attention.

She wouldn't have been so retiring with Naruto, he was sure. She might have played at it, but it would have been a game. He remembered Ino had played it once, before she settled down with her fiancé.

Darts hit the board in a quick succession, and the game show's host rattled off what the cute girl might win if she got her next number.

Naruto shook his head, stood up, and walked around the dart game to where Ayami was sitting. She wasn't really surprised when he sat down next to her - he'd scuffed the floor intentionally so she could hear him coming - but she still blinked in confusion when he fell into the chair.

"Good book?" he asked, smiling as he read the title. Nothing he recognized.

"Not really," she said, shooting a glance at Sasuke. He wasn't paying attention; Naruto didn't even have to look to know that. "It's pretty silly."

"Then why are you reading it?"

"I - Because it's trashy, I guess. It's funny," she explained. She pursed her lips a little. They weren't bad lips, but they didn't match her face. "And because there isn't anything else to do."

"I hear you," Naruto told her, leaning back and making himself comfortable. "It's either read, or win at darts." He added a wink. "So are you waiting for an assignment?"

Ayami nodded, cutting another glance at Sasuke, then studying Naruto more closely. She was considering. Sasuke still wasn't looking, but he was. "I imagine we'll be leaving Konoha tomorrow."

"I just got in myself. I was thinking I should go out tonight to celebrate."

"That sounds like a good plan," she said, touching her lips, then her throat. His eyes followed the gesture, and he doubted it was unconscious. "Did you have anything particular in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know. I get paid, so I'll probably get some dinner. Maybe find some company. I'm not sure yet."

The cute girl on the game show jumped up and hugged the host. She hadn't won the grand prize, but she was still leaving with a lot of money. She was talking too fast to catch more than one word in three.

"I suppose you shouldn't be going out if you have to leave in the morning, though," Naruto said, putting a little regret into his voice.

Ayami made a show of opening her book wider. She looked at him through her lashes. _Coy_, Naruto thought, _definitely coy_. It suited her better than it had Ino. Her face was round, not unattractive, but not beautiful either. Her eyes were just brown. Her hair was nearly auburn, but not nearly enough not to be brown as well. She had freckles across her nose. The full, fleshy mouth didn't fit at all. "I suppose I shouldn't," she agreed. Then, after a long, deliberate pause, "Sometimes I do things I shouldn't, though."

Naruto grinned, chuckling.

A dart hit the board with a solid thump.

Polite, tapping footsteps announced someone coming to the door. Hinata appeared in the doorway. Her white eyes took in the room in one broad sweep. "Naruto."

"Hm?"

"Sakura wants to see you next," Hinata said. A frown line appeared between her brows before disappearing quickly.

"Thanks, Hinata," he told her, standing. He caught the frown, the almost invisible shift of her eyes toward Ayami, and shrugged. "I'll be right out. Are you going home?"

"Yes." Another glance at Ayami, and a small shake of her head. "I'll see you later, Naruto."

"Later," he said with a stretch, then stepped passed her. It occurred to him once he was down the hall that he probably should have waved to Ayami as he left. Brushing it off, he headed for the stairs.

Sakura was behind her desk in a cramped little office on the second floor, scratching away at a tally sheet, and lost in thought while she did Tsunade's leg work. There was an ink smudge on the side of her nose where she'd rubbed it at some point. She looked pale, and Naruto thought she wasn't getting enough sun or sleep, or both. She never should have taken over as Tsunade's assistant when Shizune died. It wasn't good for her.

She looked up when Naruto stepped into the room, and smiled.

"Hi," he greeted, and she waved him in. "Been bored without me?"

"I wish," Sakura said wistfully, scratching at the ink. "I've been working ten or twelve hour days all this week. It should slow down with the weather coming in, though."

"Looking forward to getting snowed in?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." She rolled up the scroll she was working on, and stuffed it in a case. "If I'm lucky, there will be three feet of snow. So how are you? Hinata and Shikamaru said you got hurt."

"Dog bit me," Naruto explained wryly. "Hinata healed it for me."

Sakura glared at him. "A dog bit you?" He nodded, and she cuffed him. "Idiot. What else happened?"

Rubbing his arm and pouting, he told her about the assassination. He knew better than to embellish the story for Sakura as she transcribed it in shorthand in a fresh scroll. She could always tell when he did. And she gave him that look when he did. The one that said he might be more powerful than her, he might have better stamina and more frightening jutsus, but she didn't care because she would still kick his ass.

He told her that he'd let Shimamura know he was there, and he'd bolted into the street, then down an alley as Sasuke had predicted. The pair of them had fought him there, which was where the dog came into things. A spirit-dog, he clarified, not just any old mutt.

"It was pretty straight forward," Naruto said, winding down. "If it weren't for the summoning, it would've been a breeze. I could have taken him by myself."

She almost laughed at that, but it came out a tired huff. "I'm sure you probably could have. Is that it?"

"Yup." He nodded and stretched, smirking. "We went and met up with the other team then."

"How's your shoulder? It sounds like you got pretty tossed around."

"All good," Naruto promised. "There's not even a scratch left."

Sakura shook her head. "You're lucky you heal well," she said, handing him a promissory note. "How's everything else? I don't see you guys enough these days."

"Fine, fine," Naruto said lightly. "I can take care of myself. How are you? You're not working all the time, are you?"

"Only this week," she replied. She tried to sound casual, but it came off thin. "It's not like Tsunade isn't doing just as much. Believe me, she's doing more than her share. It's not so bad."

"If you say so - "

"I do," Sakura assured him. "You know where to pick up your money. Will you send Sasuke in when you leave?"

"Sure," he said as he pushed himself out of his chair. "Take care of yourself. I don't want to have to drag you out for dinner just to make sure you're eating."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

"Anytime for you," he said as seriously as he could manage.

oOo

Naruto stopped by the Anbu lockers to drop off some of his kunai and explosive tags before he left. He normally left his mask there when he wasn't working, sitting on the top shelf where people could see it through the vents instead of bringing it home with him. When he got there, he found the lock broken, his things pulled out and scattered across the floor. A photograph of the Fourth was taped the back of the locker, grim and blind as it stared out at him. A rock seemed to settle in the pit of Naruto stomach - something heavy and hard that tasted faintly of iron. He stared at the mess for a long moment, hands bunched into fists and jaw clenched so hard that the muscle in his cheek started to ache.

He punched a wall on the way out. It left a hole, dribbling trails of plaster. He promised the receptionist he'd get it fixed in the morning.


	4. Three

Warnings: Strong language, violence, possibly angst, possible future yaoi and het, no pairings at the moment. Updates likely to be sporadic.

All feedback is welcome. This chapter is embarrassingly unbeta'd, so feel free to point out typos. Many thanks to those who reviewed the first two chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and I'm not making money off of this.

Foxhunt

Three

Music murmuring on the radio didn't quite cover the sibilant rasp of a whetstone honing the edge of a tanto. It was an oddly dry sound, like a snake slithering over sand, or parched skin across skin. It rolled in Sasuke's ear, vague and familiar. Comforting.

Sasuke sat on the rail of his apartment's miniature balcony, ostensibly enjoying an afternoon back after a successful mission. Three stories down, Konoha's market was in full swing. It wasn't as crowded as you'd find in most cities--the very nature of a hidden village meant that the market wasn't open to just anyone--but it was still bustling. He watched it with one eye as he worked on the edge of his knife and condensation sweated down the sides of his bottle of beer. The beer shared a table with his weapons still waiting to be sharpened.

He recognized some of the people below him, even foreshortened by his angle looking down on them. He knew a girl from school, Tsuru-something. The woman who sold caltrops and shuriken had been a friend of his mother. She had visited occasionally when he was young. He remembered her bringing him sweets, and he played with her daughter while she and his mother talked over tea. The daughter's name was Kumiko. He didn't remember the mother's name.

His brow wrinkled as he searched for the memory, whetstone hissing over steel, but he gave it up after a short moment. He had been very young at the time.

There were a few others he knew. The baker was an Akimichi with the full cheeks and heavy build of that clan, but without the power behind it that his ninja cousins had.

A woman leaning against the wall of what looked like a hotel was a prostitute. He didn't know her name, and he'd never spoken with her, but he saw her most days, lounging there with an effected grace. He knew the seal painted over her brows in lavender didn't mean anything. It just looked good with her skin tone and her artfully disheveled black hair.

Testing the edge of his tanto against his thumb, Sasuke reached for his beer and took a long drink. It was cold, and the day was crisp, and between the two Sasuke probably should have been chilled. Satisfied with the tanto, he set it aside. 

He grabbed the wakizashi he'd lifted off yesterday's target and started on it. The blade looked old, but seemed to be in good condition regardless. Sasuke's estimation of Shimamura rose a notch as he examined it. He took another drink, eyeing the faint lines care had left on the folded steel.

Before long, the rhythmic hiss of stone on metal returned. The radio droned with a song he didn't know, bluesy and full-throated. There was something meditative about the noise. Something he could listen to, focus on, and clear his mind.

Even so, he knew Naruto was there long before the other shinobi shouted at him. Naruto's chakra and his intent were easy to recognize. When he chose to hide himself, he could do it well these days. The rest of the time, though, Naruto didn't sneak up on anyone with a little ability in them.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto called down, and Sasuke looked up.

Naruto stood on the side on the building. Gravity pulled his clothes and hair unnaturally--people always looked awkward standing sideways--and his face was notably blank. Blue eyes regarded the Uchiha with all the bright, reflective opacity of a mirror.

"What are you up to?" Naruto asked after a moment.

"What does it look like?" Sasuke responded, setting down his beer.

Naruto cocked his head, looking across his nose at Sasuke for a long moment. His expression changed, eyes narrowing, mouth kicking up at one corner. "I don't know. From this angle, it sort of looks like jerking off up here where everyone can see it. Kinky bastard."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"So are you gonna quit that and come with me, or not?"

"And where are we going?"

Straightening as much as one could while standing horizontally, the blond crossed his arms over his chest and posed thoughtfully. Finally, he said, "I was thinking maybe Fuu's place. I got paid today, so why not go lose it, right?"

Blinking, Sasuke studied Naruto again. He had to resist the urge to tilt his head. The curve of his friend's lips wasn't really a smile; it wasn't really anything. Naruto didn't usually gamble when he was happy, though. And he never lost money doing it. The line of his shoulders wasn't the normal, easy slouch. Even with that deceptive look, there no disguising the angles that had matured into his face.

"Why do I have to go play Odds and Evens with you?"

"'Cause I don't feel like going by myself. Now hurry up."

Sasuke shook his head, standing. The wakizashi was probably as good as it would get anyway. He had to clean up, though. There was no way he was leaving his things outside like that. As he picked the blades up, he asked peevishly, "What happened to the 'or not' option?"

Naruto's grin became more pronounced, but no more sincere, and decidedly vulpine. "You didn't opt fast enough. Hurry up!"

He didn't argue. Instead, he finished putting away his weapons, raked a hand through his hair, and met Naruto again on the balcony. He had moved to stand on the rail, where he stared his toes with an undue amount of interest. Without looking up, he said, "You ready?"

Sasuke shrugged. Naruto seemed to take that for a yes, which it was, come down to it.

"How about if we take the stairs down," the Uchiha suggested, glancing down at the street again. Even the people there who never trained at the academy were used to ninjas, so the sight of two men dropping from the fourth story of a building wouldn't have shocked them. Still, there was something vaguely distasteful about flaunting it that way. Sasuke had been taught as a child that it was rude to show off your skills; as an adult, he had learned that it was dangerously impractical. Naruto's gaze fell to the ground as well. His smile faded and his brows tightened, pulling up the outer corner of his narrowed eyes. The hair on the back of Sasuke's neck stood on end.

After a long second, Naruto shook himself and hopped down from the rail. He didn't speak as he brushed past, and didn't look back until he was out the door. Sasuke followed behind.

They took the stairs at a sedate pace. The sound of their footfalls on the steps was a soft shambling, barely loud enough to give warning, and certainly not polite. The discolored plaster walls were blank and yellow, and suddenly very interesting.

On the street, they fell into the easy habit of moving through a crowd. There was a trick to not being noticed. You had to move as part of the flow of traffic, or else you stood out, easier for bodyguards to spot. If a body didn't jostle where it was supposed to, didn't bump into someone they shouldn't have, it was almost as noticeable as forcing through the press. In ways, it was more so.

The wind picked up, smelling of winter on the way.

They were halfway to the casino before Naruto broke the silence.

"I'm worried about Sakura," he stated without preamble.

Sasuke nearly winced at the choice of topic. "Oh?" he said noncommittally, "Why's that?"

"She works too much, and it's all either in offices, or in the hospital. It can't be good for her. She broke up with Lee months ago, did you know that?" He did, and probably more than Naruto did beside, but he chose to listen rather than respond. Naruto ruffled his own hair thoughtfully. "I don't think she's seen anyone since then, either. She doesn't get out at all. She should... I don't know, she should be doing something other than working every single day."

"We're all working a lot," Sasuke told his friend, and knew he wasn't unhelpful. "There's more work than there are people since the last war. And that's everyone, not just Konoha."

Naruto nodded absently. "I know, I know. Sand lost--what?--A third of their gennin when Sound divided their forces at Sumiyama. That's not the point. It's like Sakura isn't trying to find the time to relax when she can. She'll wear herself down at this rate."

Thinking back to his own brief, uncomfortable meeting with his former teammate, Sasuke had to agree. She was working too hard. However, even if Sasuke had known what to do for her, he doubted she'd have listened. He nodded, feeling a little more tired himself. "So you think she should be seeing someone?"

"I didn't say that." One of Naruto's hands waved that off in a dismissive gesture. "If it were you, I'd say that. But I don't think that's Sakura's problem. Maybe she should visit Ino, or something. Do the girl thing."

"Great. Sakura needs to do the girl thing, and my problems stem from sexual frustration."

"Don't put words in my mouth!" There was a little more bounce in Naruto's step as he spoke, and he cut a look over his shoulder at Sasuke.

Sasuke smirked. "Never. Go on. You were saying?"

"I was saying..." Naruto said, then trailed off with a sigh. "I was saying that I don't want Sakura to work her fingers to nubs, then realize she doesn't remember why she's doing it."

One, two, three steps passed in quiet.

"So is that why you were so serious when you came to get me?" Sasuke asked. "And why you feel the need to go win at Odds and Evens until Fuu kicks you out?"

Naruto barked a quick laugh. "Nah. Just a thought I had now. We should take her out for barbeque or something. If we both ask nicely, she could hardly say no, could she?"

Snorting, Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets. She very well could. Maybe if he begged out, she would go with Naruto, or Naruto and Ino, or the pair of them and Ino's beau. There was no disagreeing that it would be good for Sakura to spend some time with friends, and there was no reason to spoil that with his presence. "Maybe," he said, glancing under the awning of a shop as they walked. He didn't remember what they sold after he looked away. "If missions allow, maybe."

"Tche," Naruto noised, unimpressed with his lack of commitment. "You'll go."

"Whatever you say."

"Damn straight."

A few more steps in silence. The wind shushed through the trees, rattling dry leaves and humming in the power lines. A few clouds appeared, sparse against an achingly blue sky.

"So what were you so serious about?" Sasuke said casually after one minute stretched into five.

"Hm? Oh. Nothing important." A cloud slid across the sun, casting an ominous shadow over Naruto's face. "I have to talk to Tsunade in the morning. I'm not looking forward to it." More shadows flickered by, quicker as they went. Naruto looked up. "Think it'll snow soon?"

"Probably not. It's a little early for snow yet. Rain, on the other hand..." Sasuke paused, then let the thought fall. Fuu's appeared, sanded wood front and ornamental pillars painted green. There was a bouncer Sasuke didn't know at the door, playing shouji with an old man. Both of them nodded a greeting to Naruto as he and Sasuke passed. They ignored the Uchiha pointedly.

Inside, a narrow foyer led into the main floor. Dealers and dice games took up most of the room, while a double row of slot machines crowded near the back wall. A low ceiling pushed down the atmosphere. The windows were small and barely let in outside light, leaving warm, paper-shaded electric lamps. A number of men and women were scattered throughout the stations, but not nearly as many as would be crowded in here later. It was still early in the day.

Naruto bought his chips, then joined a game of Odds and Evens. Sasuke watched Naruto smile at the girl running the game, watched her smile back familiarly. She welcomed him, and two of the other players made room so he could sit down.

He bet odd on the first roll.

Three and two was five; Naruto collected. Sasuke settled beside him and followed his lead from then on, trusting his friend's luck.

oOo

Winning cheered Naruto up. He drank a bit, and by the time the sun set and the real crowd filtered in, he was feeling in better spirits. He bet high, and won more than he lost. Fuu came out at one point—a mature woman, well dressed, with salt and pepper hair swept up with pins—congratulated Naruto on his run of wins, and discreetly had the girl running the game relieved. The new roller did slightly better, but only slightly, and Naruto was happy to see how far he could get.

Sasuke didn't bet as high, so he didn't win as much, but he watched and drank, and breathed easier as his friend relaxed. A crowd gathered around Naruto. With the amount of money on the table, more than a few of them were friendly. Naruto thrived under the attention, smiling, and laughing, and playing to the group. When he won, he cheered and pumped his fists in the air; when he lost, he slumped, slouched, then shrugged it off before grinning and laying down his next bet.

In the end, Naruto wasn't kicked out, but Fuu politely suggested to Sasuke that perhaps he ought to take his teammate home, since it was late, and Naruto was getting drunk. It was still hours away from closing, and Naruto was buzzed at best. Sasuke had drank more, and had a lower tolerance. Still, Sasuke nodded and took Naruto by the shoulder.

There was a smile on his face as they walked back to Sasuke's apartment.

"All better?" Sasuke ventured eventually.

"What do you mean?" the other asked, angling his face toward the sky. The clouds had come in, and effectively hid the stars.

"Whatever it was that made you show up on my wall this afternoon. Did fleecing a gambling hall make it better?"

Naruto shrugged, waving the issue off, and Sasuke left it at that.


	5. Four

Warnings: Violence, strong language, adult situations, possible angst. Genfic, but possible future het and yaoi. No pairings for the moment.

I don't own Naruto and I'm not making any money for writing this.

All feed back is welcome, and many, many thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.

**Foxhunt**

Four

There were some things, Tsunade reflected dully, that a woman just didn't want to hear before she'd had a chance to finish her first cup of coffee in the morning. For her, the list was short. As long as Konoha wasn't under attack, Konohamaru wasn't following too closely in the footsteps of his infamous mentor, and the sun still rose in the East, she considered herself a fairly content woman. Not happy, mind, but content.

Then Naruto strolled into her office and told her not to worry; he'd pay for the wall.

Tsunade set down her mug, recited a silent prayer for patience, and asked the young man what wall he was paying for, and how it had come to be damaged.

"In the Anbu locker room," he clarified without offering any real insight. Morning light slanted through the windows and cut attenuated shapes across his flak vest. "I punched it as I was leaving yesterday. I figured you might hear about it, so I thought I'd come in and tell you first.

"Alright, I'll bite. Why did you punch the wall?"

Naruto grinned, raking his fingers through his hair sheepishly. The pose made him suddenly look five years younger. "I lost my temper's all."

Tsunade arched one eyebrow. "I didn't imagine the wall started the fight."

"Ah, no," he agreed. "The wall was an innocent bystander."

"Naruto, it's early, and if you're not going to tell me why you've been taking out your aggression on innocent walls, then please let me finish my coffee in peace," Tsunade said tiredly. She picked up her coffee and took a long, deliberate drink to punctuate her words.

"Some asshole trashed my locker. Real sweet welcome home."

Tsunade swallowed hard. Warm coffee burned down her throat in a hard, bitter lump. Afterward, it took effort not to cough. "Someone what?" she demanded, eyes flicking up to lock on Naruto's suddenly blank face. "Why didn't you say so to start with?"

"So we don't have the same argument again?" he asked, frustration raising his voice at the end. A scowl creased his face and his chin tipped down menacingly. "Sorry, but fuck that. We've been over this enough times."

"Yes, we have, and I'm pretty sure I was clear in the past that I wanted to know when this sort of shit happened," the Fifth shot back as she stood. Her chair fell over with the force of her move. "How many more times do we _have_ to go over it, Naruto?"

"Obviously at least one more," he huffed. Tsunade half expected him to pout, but the juvenile expression had long ago been replaced by a more mature pursed lips. He looked more thoughtful, but still sulky. "Should I sit down, or do I get the short version today?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Sit."

If he rolled his eyes, he did it while she righted her chair and sat down herself. Taking a deep breath, she drew on all the dignity she could muster and said, "I told you last time that I want to know when you were harassed. I told you the time before that, I want to know if your property was being vandalized. I told you two times before that, I don't give a shit if you could handle it yourself; I want you to tell me."

"I'm here, aren't I?" Naruto protested, but she overrode him.

"It doesn't speak well of me as Hokage if my elite don't respect me, does it?"

"I didn't - " he began, only to be cut off again.

"Does it?" she repeated. "Yes or no question."

Naruto's jaw tightened. This time, he refused to answer. Tsunade could live with that. She fussed with a stack of papers on her desk. They didn't need to be straightened, but it gave her an excuse to make him wait before she continued.

"It also doesn't speak well of this village if we target our own like this. Now I realize that my hands are sadly tied unless we catch someone in the act, however, I still prefer to be kept informed. I'm not totally without power, you know." She paused, hoping that for once what she said would sink in. She wasn't sure if it was Naruto's skull, or just his hair that seemed thick enough to keep her voice out every time.

"Now, I want you to explain where I wasn't clear?"

"You were perfectly clear," he answered morosely. "Crystal. Happy?"

Tsunade sighed and returned to her coffee. It was getting cold. "Not particularly. Now, I know you came here. Thank you. But why were you dancing around the issue?"

"Maybe I was trying to soften the blow?" he said and shrugged.

"I doubt it. Do I get a second choice?"

"Fuck..."

"Naruto!" snapped Tsunade; startled, he sat up straighter.

"What the hell? It doesn't make a difference!"

"All the same," she told him evenly, folding her hands around her mug, "I'd like to know."

"Is that it?" Naruto asked. His eyes turned flat and unyielding, cold like very deep water. The face made Tsunade all the more aware of his chakra, which buzzed inside the confined space like a swarm of horseflies.

Tsunade thought about telling him to rein it in, but held her tongue. "Yes, that's it. Don't wander off or get too drunk, though. You have a mission briefing this afternoon."

Naruto blinked, his grim expression cracking and slipping away like ice in spring. "A mission? But we just got back."

Now Tsunade allowed herself to smile. She took another sip of her coffee. "Indeed. They asked for you specifically."

"They did?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms skeptically. No one hiring him should have known him by name, and he knew it.

"Oh, indeed," she assured him. "They asked for our best."

He couldn't help it. Tsunade saw him try not to, but he was still Naruto. After a moment of holding a straight face, he surrendered to a grin that turned his eyes to crescents and showed most of his teeth, and beamed.

oOo

Shikamaru asked his father once why so many people seemed to dislike Naruto. The guy could be a bit dense, and yeah, he was loud and obnoxious sometimes, but he was a good guy deep down, and he cared a lot about Konoha.

His father had leaned back, rubbing his short beard thoughtfully. "Well," he said at last, "When it comes down to it, that boy was just born on a bad day."

It wasn't hard for Shikamaru to do the math and figure out what day Naruto had been born on. It made a little sense, he supposed. Still, it seemed harsh to take it out on Naruto because he had the bad luck to be born on the day the Fourth died. Not like he had a choice in it.

oOo

"That's what the hag said," Naruto told Sasuke with a shrug as they climbed the steps and strode into the Anbu's businesslike foyer.

Sasuke thrust his hands in his pockets. "That doesn't make any sense. How would the client know the difference? Neji's team could go just as easily. They're just as good as we are."

"Not a chance!" Naruto said emphatically. "You and me could beat them on our own."

They crossed the room, turning toward the lounge, but the receptionist waved them up the stairs. "The others are already waiting."

"What room?" asked Sasuke, barely sparing the woman a glance.

"The small conference room," she answered, pointing behind her with one hand, as though the room were there instead of upstairs and halfway down the hall. She didn't even look up from her paper work. Her table was a haphazard mess of forms.

"I doubt we'd be able to beat a four man Anbu team that easily on our own."

Naruto laughed. "Sure we would. Neji's a beast, sure, but he's not good enough to beat either of us. Other than that, who'd stand a chance?"

Snorting dryly, Sasuke suggested, "Chaiki?"

"Chaiki?" Naruto paused, considered, and dismissed her. Chaiki was the latest Aburame to graduate the academy, and while Naruto wouldn't want to fight her, he doubted she posed a serious threat. Shino spoke highly of her, but Naruto didn't think she could beat him. "Nope. Not worried."

"Kiba?"

"Ha! You're joking, right? Why would I be afraid of Kiba?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I didn't say you had to be afraid of him, but that doesn't mean you should count him out."

Smiling, Naruto clapped Sasuke's shoulder. "I'm not counting him out, I'm not. But really, I got him beat."

"And Akamaru?" Sasuke asked.

"Of course. Kiba doesn't go anywhere without that mutt," the blond agreed off-handedly, waving the idea away.

"So you wouldn't worry about either of them, even with their team?"

"How many times do I have to say that?" Naruto said irritably as they came up on the small conference room.

Smirking, the Uchiha shook his head and pointed at the conference room door.

"Yo," Kiba greeted, smiling wide enough to show off his pointed teeth. "You're late."

Naruto's hands balled into fists. He cut a glare at his companion, who was pointedly not laughing at him. Sasuke's mouth was a careful, neutral line. His eyes crinkled just a little at the corners, shined just a little. He could have hidden that little glimmer of humor if he really wanted to.

"You are such an asshole," Naruto said, stepping past Kiba. On the floor, Akamaru rumbled a half-hearted growl.

"I do try," Sasuke replied and followed.

Inside, the rest of their team already waited. Naruto spotted Shikamaru slouching in one of the chairs that surrounded the small table. He pinned his team leader with a glare. "Hey, what's he doing here?"

He pointed back at Kiba with his thumb.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, then his shoulders. Folding his arms behind his head, he answered, "How should I know?"

"Some leader."

"No one's been by to explain the mission yet. Barring spontaneously developed psychic prescience, how the hell should I know what he's doing here?" Shikamaru retorted.

Naruto took his seat. "You can do better than that. Is this a five man job?"

"Probably."

Sasuke swept into the chair next to Naruto. "If Sakura isn't here yet, we can't be too late," he observed casually.

A comfortable silence followed Sasuke's statement. Naruto crossed his arms and waited for Sakura to show up with their mission details. Sasuke steepled his fingers in front of his lips, eyes focused on nothing. Shikamaru lounged. Hinata sat straight and patient, hands folded in her lap. Naruto could hear Kiba shift in the doorway, fidgeting. It sounded like he was sucking quietly on his own cheek.

The wait was long enough that Naruto didn't regret not being more prompt. Kiba got louder by the minute. Naruto tapped his fingers on his sleeve.

"Tch," Kiba noised eventually, followed by the determined tap of Sakura's heels coming down the hall. Naruto swung around to see her as she entered the room. A pointed glance at Kiba sent him and Akamaru both hurrying out of her way.

Naruto stood and helped her with the pile of scrolls she carried, taking more than half of them and setting them on the table. She smiled at him gratefully.

When everyone was seated again, she closed the door and turned to face the room.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Sakura said. Naruto was glad to note she looked less harried than she had the day before. There was no ink on her face this time, at least. She still looked like she wasn't getting enough sun, but that came with a job that kept her in an office so often. "I hope everyone has recovered from their last mission?"

She swept her eyes across the small assembly as she spoke. Naruto offered a shrug and a nod when she looked his way. He winked, too, to see if she'd smile again if he did. Her mouth might have kicked up just a little at the outside corner, but not enough to count.

Shikamaru responded with a desultory agreement. Hinata nodded a quick affirmative. Sasuke grunted without looking up, which earned him a kick under the table. He didn't rise to the bait.

Kiba had been in town for longer. Naruto recognized the grin he flashed. Even if he was being lent to a different team, he was still ready to get back to action. Akamaru mirrored his master's expression.

Nodding, Sakura continued. "I'm glad to see you look rested. It means we can get straight to business.

"We received a priority request. Her name is Kameko Seigo, called Princess Kameko, and she's the mother of a vassal lord in Wind, near the Earth border. She's also a dowager, and landed in her own right. Needless to say, she is a very, very wealthy woman."

"That explains the priority," Naruto commented. "But why not hire Sand shinobi?"

"I'm getting to that."

Sakura selected one of the scrolls she'd brought and unrolled it with an economic motion of her wrist. Spread across the table, Naruto recognized a map of Wind. Sakura stabbed a point in Northeast Wind with her finger. The location was within Wind's borders, but closer to the Rock Village than it was to Sand. "Seigo's holding is here. She's expecting that her son will be hiring shinobi from Earth to kill her."

Everyone leaned toward Sakura a little as she set out explaining. The air in the room became all business.

"She expects, however, that if she hired Sand shinobi, then word would reach her son. We've contacted the Kazekage, who has guaranteed your safe passage for this assignment."

"No hard feelings then?" Kiba asked.

Sakura shot a look his way. "I wouldn't say the Kazekage is pleased, but he's hardly jeopardizing our alliance over it. He expressed his concern. However, that's for the Hokage to worry about. You five have other things to pay attention too.

"Your train leaves Tamadani at seven-thirty tomorrow morning. You'll have to leave early to catch it. Suzu will have your passports ready when you leave. You'll have to change trains in Motozaka, but from there's it's a straight shot to the Michida station. Seigo's maid will meet you there."

Tapping his fingers absently, Naruto listened to Sakura as she outlined the mission. She tallied the information they had from their client along with what they knew of the area, explaining the details methodically. They were to guard Kameko Seigo. They were also to oversee the security of her estate until negotiations closed between Seigo's attorneys and the Wind-lord. The time frame was estimated at two to three weeks.

Nothing struck him as too unusual, other than the location, and even that wasn't unprecedented.

Kiba was chosen to go with them because the job was determined to warrant five men. Upon consideration, Sakura and Tsunade had decided he was the best choice. Along with having a penchant for tracking and patrolling, he had worked well with Hinata in the past.

Though he would have preferred not to admit it, Naruto could see that they were right. Tsunade and Sakura were both frustrating that way - they were usually right.

The meeting lasted almost two and a half hours. Afterward, Naruto went home, made himself a cup of instant ramen. He ate by himself, watching tv on his couch, and went to bed late.


	6. Five

Warnings: Strong language, violence, possibly angst, possible future yaoi and het, no pairings at the moment. Updates likely to be sporadic.

All feedback is welcome.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and I'm not making money off of this.

**Foxhunt**

Five

The scenery that scrolled past the train's window was grey, stony and gently rolling. Colorless scrub and dry grass poked up through the rocky soil here and there. In the distance, the mountains faded to a muted purple. The sky was an unrelieved pale dome from horizon to horizon, the same eerie off-white as Hyuuga eyes. Blackbirds perched on the power lines that followed the tracks. They had been the only life visible outside the train cars for over an hour.

Hinata gazed out the window quietly while Naruto beat Kiba at cards and Shikamaru napped.

Sasuke sat across from her, skimming a paperback. Occasionally he'd glance over when Kiba swore or Naruto made a particularly baiting remark. She had to smile, too, sometimes. Kiba just couldn't help but rise to the jibes, and Naruto couldn't leave it alone. It didn't help matters that Kiba wasn't all that good at poker, and Naruto had a devil's luck.

"You're cheating," Kiba accused hotly at one point.

Naruto had smiled fit to light up the whole car. "It's not cheating if you can't catch me doing it," he'd taunted.

"It's my turn to deal."

"Be my guest!"

And Naruto had still won. Kiba cursed his family back six generations, which only seemed to please Naruto more. He called Kiba a retard for thinking he cared about a bunch of people he'd never met. Then he'd made a lewd remark about Kiba's sister that made Hinata wince and Shikamaru open one eye.

Miles further on and nearly an hour later, with Naruto and Kiba were still nipping at each other, Sasuke surprised Hinata by commenting that Kiba brought out the worst in Naruto.

Hinata had to agree, adding, "Naruto draws out Kiba's bad side, too."

Sasuke snorted softly. "I wouldn't know."

"They rub each other wrong." It seemed the better part of valor to Hinata not to mention that Sasuke himself brought out the worst in Kiba. "Kiba normally isn't so hard to work with. He's just rather enthusiastic."

"He's enthusiastic punching Naruto in the face," Sasuke said wryly.

Hinata winced. "Well, Naruto is a bad winner sometimes."

Sasuke shook his head before returning to his book. "He's normally a very magnanimous winner."

"I've bit you once and I'll bite you again if you keep barking!" Naruto threatened Kiba, finally losing his temper.

Akamaru growled.

Hinata pressed her forehead against the window. The glass was cool against her skin and it seemed to ease the headache that threatened in her temples. Outside, the scenery continued to pass in a dull patchwork of stubbled hills.

It was a very long ride to the Michida station.

oOo

Whoever had called her 'Princess Kameko' had a worse sense of humor than Naruto, and that was saying something. This bitch was old as stone and twice as hard, with a back stiffer than the starched collar brushing her chin. Her skin was withered and spent as last season's flowers, and it clung to her bones with the same sort of dried tenacity. Dark eyes attempted to pin each of their team successively. Her eyelashes were painted with mascara, clumped and brittle.

Naruto met her gaze without flinching. The sour old hag might be a client, but he wasn't getting paid enough to flinch.

"Five?" Kameko asked in a voice that managed to be both bland and scornful. "I paid a good deal of money for quality, young sirs. I did not intend to finance a gang."

Naruto flashed a sharp smile.

"We - " Shikamaru began, placating. Naruto spoke over him. "You paid for the best. You got the best."

"What I have gotten remains to be seen," Kameko judged. Her upper lip lifted just a little, implying a disdainful curl without actually cracking her makeup. Beetle-dark eyes glinted at him intently.

Smile still firmly in place, Naruto planted his feet on the floor and his fists on his hips. He knew he wasn't impressive, that he never had been nor would ever be tall or bulky, but he'd been sized up by scarier figures than her and found lacking. Damned if he was going to be cowed by this.

Shikamaru cleared his throat. After an instant's hesitation, Naruto glanced over at his teammates, unapologetic.

Rubbing the back of his neck in a suffering gesture, Shikamaru said, "Don't mind him. He's excitable sometimes. The team was the Hokage's choice, ma'am. We just go where we're told."

The woman's gaze swept over them all once more: Shikamaru, Naruto, and back again; sliding negligently over Hinata's whisper quiet presence; lingering a long moment on Sasuke, who took the attention stoically; falling at last on Kiba, Akamaru seated on his haunches beside him. After a long moment, she sniffed dismissively.

"Very well. I will bow to your Hokage's wisdom in this," she told them. Naruto felt a tick about to start in his lower eyelid, and half wished that she hadn't asked to see their faces.

Her hand shot out - knobby joints, age spots, and inch-long fingernails painted a cool green - and a servant appeared to put a cane in it. Naruto watched as she levered herself upright and took a step toward them, limping heavily on her right leg. The smell of perfume and age came off her, tickled Naruto's nose. Further away, Kiba sneezed. When she stood before them, she said, "I suppose you have already been briefed on your job here?"

Five sets of ears pricked at that. All extraneous movement stopped.

Kameko's mouth twitched, this time sketching the very corner of a wry smile. "I am glad to see you all take that seriously, at least. You were told you would be protecting me?"

Shikamaru nodded curtly.

"Were you told why?" she asked him.

"We were told that you suspected an assassination attempt from your son, most likely carried out by Earth ninja," he replied. "We were told we would be taking over your existing security as well as providing a constant escort for the duration of the mission."

The old woman hummed her approval. "Indeed. What else were you told? Did they tell you that I have my granddaughter here as well, and that she may also be in danger?"

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance. "No."

Suddenly, Kameko snapped her fingers. A figure scrambled forward from the back of the room where she'd been waiting all but overlooked among the bitch's entourage. She knelt beside the old woman in an ungainly heap.

"My granddaughter," Kameko explained. "Tsubaki."

It took Naruto a moment to recognize the child as a girl. She didn't look like a boy, but she didn't really look like a girl either. A small, pale round face was dominated by huge, innocent brown eyes. It was hard to gauge her actual size in the formal robes she wore, but the way her clothes hung on her body implied a skinny child. Naruto guessed her maybe eight, but possibly as old as ten.

"She is my son's daughter, and his only heir."

"Do you expect us to protect her as well?" Shikamaru asked. Naruto didn't have to look to know there was a thought line creasing his brows.

"I believe he may have designs on her as well, yes.

"There have not yet been any attacks, but my enemy's actions are becoming increasingly aggressive. It is only a matter of time before he becomes bold enough to follow through on his threats."

Kameko paused then, and Naruto felt her gauging their reactions. He wondered if she thought that her case was somehow abnormal to them, or if she hoped she was winning some sort of sympathy by parading her granddaughter before them like a show dog. Naruto felt a pang for the girl, but it was more because she had just been forced to hear that her father was trying to kill her than because Kameko had offered some heart-wrenchingly tragic story. He felt nearly as sorry for the girl having this old woman as a guardian as he did hearing her plight.

"This protection," Sasuke said without warning. "Do you mean it to be pre-emptive?"

Kameko did smile at that, a real, full smile. It was tightlipped, humorless, and it crumpled her face unpleasantly. "No, I have no intention of sending you to kill my son."

Sasuke grunted his acceptance of that.

"Are there any other questions?"

"Heh," Kiba spoke up after a moment. "If we're taking over your security, do we get to talk to the guy in charge of it now?"

"Of course," Kameko said. "That would be Mitsuno Yori. You will be meeting him directly from here. He will give you a tour of the immediate grounds, explain the current patrols and sentry posts, as well as show you where you will be staying. After that, I expect one of you with me at all times."

"What about Tsubaki?" Hinata asked. Her white eyes watched Kameko instead of remaining discreetly fixed on the floor. Naruto made a mental note to ask Hinata what she made of the old woman.

Frowning, Kameko replied, "She will remain with me. Is there anything else?"

Kameko looked at Naruto when she asked it, as though she thought he would have something to add. He almost wished he did. It seemed like a pretty straight forward job, though.

No one spoke. She sniffed derisively.

"I am entrusting you with my life, young sirs, and that of my granddaughter. Do not disappoint me. Now," she paused, rapping the floor with her cane, "I'll dismiss you in Yori's capable hands."

At the cane's abrupt report, her whole assembly of maids and guards came to attention. Kameko's granddaughter bowed her way back to join the servants as they mobilized. She looked very small among the knot of adults.

One man broke off the group, standing aside while they prepared to leave the room. Naruto bit back a pithy remark about needing to travel in a parade in your own house, focusing instead on the man he assumed was Mitsuno Yori.

He cut an impressive pose. In fact, Yori was the archetype of a guard captain. From his black hair, tied back in a tight, oiled queue, to the scar that bisected his face, to the well tended armor buckled across his chest, he looked every inch a warrior, even so far as his height. What was more, he practically radiated it. His mouth was fleshy without being sensual, and pulled down into a wide scowl. His eyes were a murky grey-hazel, and lightless as they roved over the shinobi.

"Good evening, young sirs," Kameko said shortly as she left. Her cane struck out a staccato against the floor as she walked; Naruto could track her movement even through the wall.

The silence that followed was full of Yori measuring each of them in turn. Unlike Kameko, he did not dismiss Hinata immediately, but took in her eyes and her stance with something that might have been curiosity. Indeed, he didn't dismiss any of them. That alone told Naruto that the man's appearance wasn't all show.

He waited until the sound of Kameko's cane was almost inaudible before he said, "Gentleman, and miss." He nodded to each of them. "Welcome to the Seigo estate. If you'll follow me, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping, and give you a quick view of the grounds. If it pleases you, we can take a more extensive tour when it's light."

"I don't think that will be necessary, thank you," Shikamaru answered for them all. "We planned on surveying the estate ourselves."

Yori nodded to that. "I expect you know what you're doing."

"I expect we do," Sasuke agreed, surprising Naruto with his caustic tone. Yori's scowl stretched briefly before relaxing.

"This way," he told them, and led the way out of the room.

The Seigo's home was very old. Its style was a precursor to that of the Hyuuga compound in Konoha, with a compound surrounding a central building - in this case, a blunt, two story manor house. Very few concessions had been made to the passing of time. There was a generator in a shed attached to the barracks, but Naruto couldn't guess what it powered, since all of the lighting seemed to come from old fashion oil lamps. Yori laughed off a question about video surveillance as though it were a joke. Naruto didn't bother asking beyond that. There was indoor plumbing, if only just barely; beyond that, he wouldn't complain.

Yori showed them around quickly, pointing out the walls, and the sentries on duty as they passed. He explained the patrols. Along with a number of stationary posts, there were three two-man teams that wandered through their rounds on a staggered schedule. Yori sounded proud of his plan, calling it unpredictable.

Sasuke said it was laughable, and that if he had to, he could kill both members of a two man team before either of them could raise an alarm. He said that they had to assume that any assassins would be at least high chuunin level.

The captain took Sasuke's statements with surprising grace.

A lake edged the estate grounds on one side. In the dark, it looked like an ink spill settled between the gentle curves of two hills. The others faced empty, rocky fields. There was an apple orchard across the water, the trees already half bare. Winter, Yori told them, came early this far North.

"For a small group, sneaking up on this place wouldn't be a challenge," Naruto commented as they took in the nightscape. Shadows in the trees and cast by stones provided amble cover.

Kiba shrugged. "They hired us for a reason."

"That they did," Shikamaru agreed, and thanked Yori for showing them around.

Last, Yori brought them to the corner of the barracks that they'd been allotted. Five bedrolls, bare span of floor, and a paper screen for Hinata's modesty.

Thanking Yori again, Shikamaru ushered the other man out of their space, then sat down. He clasped his hands behind his head. Naruto could see their interview and tour replaying behind Shikamaru's brown eyes. Each point ticked through his thoughtful expression, and a number of them clearly were less than he'd hoped for. He grimaced several times before sighing, and then putting on a suffering face.

"Any thoughts?" he asked.

Naruto and Sasuke shared a look. Hinata glanced around the sparse quarters. Eventually, Naruto said," I agree with Sasuke. This would be easier if we just took out the son."

"I didn't say we should kill Kameko's son."

"No, but you were thinking it loud enough for Sakura to hear back home." Rolling his eyes, the Uchiha let that pass. Naruto ignored it, turning to Hinata. "What did you think?"

Tilting her head to one side, Hinata considered. She answered slowly, her voice strong but quiet. The others listened. "I think that the lady does not behave like someone worried about her granddaughter's well-being. And," she paused, choosing her words carefully. "I don't think she behaves like someone worried about assassins, either."

When it was clear she had finished, Shikamaru said, "She struck me as quite composed, too."

"That's not it." Hinata shook her head. "She's composed, but she is worried. She just doesn't seem to be worried because of her son."

It took a moment for that to digest.

"So..." Naruto voiced the question, "what's she scared of?"

Hinata shook her head again. "I'm not sure. I can't put my finger on it. Everything seems to be in order, though. I suppose that saying I don't trust Kameko wouldn't count for much?"

Shikamaru smiled tiredly. "I don't trust most of our clients, Hinata. Just keep your eyes open. That goes for the rest of you, too. But for the time being, Kiba!" He lifted his hand, thumb and forefinger raised. "You and Hinata start pinpointing the weakest points in security.

Middle finger. "Naruto, you escort the good lady."

Ring finger. "Sasuke, you're the lucky one. You get to sleep first.

"And I'll see if I can cobble together a rotation for us. Clear?"

Kiba nodded. Sasuke smirked, and answered, "Transparent." Naruto left his things in the corner of the room, and after a last word from Shikamaru - a warning not to goad their employer - went to find Kameko.


	7. Six

Warnings: Strong language, violence, possibly angst, possible future yaoi and het, no pairings at the moment. Updates likely to be sporadic.

All feedback is welcome.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and I'm not making money off of this.

**Foxhunt**

Six

Naruto watched his employer sleep from behind his fox mask. In the dark and cleaned of makeup, Kameko's face was like worn paper. It looked like it would crumble into flakes if someone were to touch it too roughly.

Her soft, nasal snores were the only sound in the room.

Her granddaughter, Tsubaki, slept on a futon on the floor. She lay curled on her side, her fist balled near her face. While she was too old for it, Naruto couldn't help but imagine her sucking her thumb. Her cheeks were round and soft, contrasting drastically with those of the old woman. The girl's fingers were short and pudgy. There was very little of Kameko in her, he thought. Everything about her was young and fresh.

He huffed, stifling a chuckle. The girl practically broadcast innocence.

Outside, he heard the wind under the eaves, and the occasional quiet scuffle of Kiba testing the guards.

Naruto's jaw ached to crack a yawn, and he had to concentrate not to shift uncomfortably. His eyes swept from Tsubaki to Kameko and back again. It was the only fidget he allowed himself.

Her perfume was strong here, and the smell of incense that was, he supposed, to help her sleep. More than anything, the smell made him want to sneeze; to take a shower to get it off his skin and out of his hair. Holding still was harder than it had been in years.

It was a long, boring watch.

Eventually, Shikamaru appeared, heralded by the slight scuff of his sandals outside Kameko's door. Naruto was grateful for a reason to stand up and stretch. His shoulders and back ached after sleeping on the train, and he wouldn't have minded taking a nap, but moving was almost as good.

Standing just inside the door, he greeted Shikamaru softly. The other ninja watched the bedroom over Naruto's shoulder while Naruto watched the hall over his.

"Progress?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Some," Shikamaru told him, his voice pitched to carry only as far as Naruto's ear. "The patrols are a mess, but I think I'll have a system for them by morning. Kiba and Akamaru will be scouting the area tomorrow. I suspect at least one of us will be patrolling at any given time, though, and one with the Lady."

Naruto nodded. It seemed reasonable.

The team leader continued. "For the time being, I've given all the guards these," he said, passing Naruto a beaded bracelet. In the dark, Naruto couldn't make out the characters on the beads. "If those are broken, or if the wearer dies, it sets of the alarm bells."

"Nice trick."

Shikamaru sighed. "Not really. But it should do for now. That one's for you."

Naruto slipped the bracelet over his wrist. "I hope you don't expect me to need this."

"I know better than to set my hopes so high," Shikamaru replied wryly. "But everyone's getting one of them."

"Anything else?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "Anything to report here?"

"They're both sleeping." Naruto said, after only a moment of thought. "I'm bored out of my mind."

He heard Shikamaru's chuckle, quiet and partly muffled by his mask. "I'll have Sasuke replace you in an hour. Think you can wait that long without doing something stupid?"

Naruto waved off the jibe. "Don't worry about me." He tucked the bracelet more securely under his armguards. "I'd hate to interrupt Sasuke's nap. It makes him testy."

"You're not the one who has to wake him up." Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Naruto couldn't see it, but he knew it happened. "Don't get lazy."

Nodding, Naruto turned away and walked back to his spot in the corner. Tsubaki stirred as he sat down, face scrunching up. She wiggled a little and pulled her blankets up before stilling again. Her breath came out in a childish sigh. Kameko remained still.

Naruto watched them, and tried not to squirm.

oOo

The view from the roof of Kameko's estate offered a spectacularly unspectacular view. Other than the lake, there was nothing but hard, hammered brown and grey. Despite the overcast sky, the lake itself was a coarse, mineral blue-green, like corroded copper.

The wind that blew in from the northeast was colder than Shikamaru was used to this time of year. Cold enough for snow, but without the moisture. He'd been to Sand country before, numerous times while planning chuunin exams, but never so far from Fire. The places he'd seen were red or yellow sand, rather than this jagged broken gravel.

Shikamaru could see much of it from where he sat, and while it could have been worse, it could have been better as well. He could see the Seigo's men as they walked the grounds. He could see the wall, the lake, and the orchard. He could see the road. Leaning back, Shikamaru could still see the approaches in his mind while he looked at the bright spot behind the clouds that marked the sun.

With five of them, it would be difficult or potentially impossible to prevent infiltration by a skilled assassin. Even with the support of Yori's guardsmen, there would be holes in their security.

The trick was to be aware of those holes.

If the assassin were a ninja who would kill a guard rather than leave one alive behind him, then in the worst case scenario, the seals he'd given that guard would activate. The alarms would go off. Two guards would be dead, but the assassin would have lost the advantage of surprise. From there, it would depend on the Stone-nin's abilities. The likelihood that anyone from Stone would be able to defeat one of Shikamaru's team before reinforcements arrived would be so slim as to be negligible.

On the other hand...

Shikamaru closed his eyes and frowned, considering. Though the day seemed dim, the light shone red through his eyelids.

On the other hand, the ninja might prefer to sneak past the guards. For a chuunin or jounin, it wouldn't be such a challenge, even with the changes they'd already implemented. It would be Shikamaru's team who found them if that were the case, assuming they were found. In that instance, then the alarm would be raised, and whoever spotted the assassin would move to intercept.

In either case, odds were in their favor.

However, if the assassin penetrated their defenses as far as surprising Kameko's bodyguard, then the odds would be distinctly against them. The only saving grace was that Hinata and Kiba were unlikely to be taken by surprise, which left Naruto, Sasuke, and himself.

Shikamaru had no illusions about his own abilities, but Naruto and Sasuke were his strongest pieces in a fight. Whoever took them by surprise would have to be sure to take them out on the first shot, which would not be easy.

If there were two assassins, or one who didn't value his life, then he'd kill Kameko first.

Or he would, if it weren't for Tsubaki. With two targets, attempting to make a quick hit and then retreat would be foolish.

Which meant an intelligent, lone assassin would strike at the bodyguard first.

Shikamaru could counter that by having two people with Kameko, instead of one, but that would draw his numbers thin. If two were with Kameko, and one were resting, then that would leave two patrolling, and not enough sleep for any of them.

One ninja patrolling the grounds was ludicrous.

If he intended to stop an attack before it reached Kameko.

Otherwise, he could put three on Kameko, and two at rest at any given time.

Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose and opened his eyes. Either there were too many or too few people on this mission, and he couldn't quiet decide which it was.

A disturbance in the yard behind the barracks announced Naruto testing the new patrol system. No alarm went off. The cursing that followed was fluent, but obviously not Naruto's, so there was no question how the experiment had gone.

Shikamaru looked at the lake, at the skeletal winter apple trees, at the winding, pale scar of the road that lead to the estate. The mountains were crisp, brown, and very far away. Beyond those mountains was another country, with ninjas who weren't their allies.

He chewed his lip thoughtfully.

Later that afternoon, he announced that one of them would serve as Kameko's bodyguard, one would patrol the house, one the out buildings and immediate grounds, and two would rest. They would work on a four hour rotation.

No one was happy with the schedule, but no one complained.

Three days passed quietly.

oOo

It was three days before the alarm went off. Sasuke considered it the assassins' bad luck that he was patrolling the grounds, and thus was the closest when the bell sounded. He enjoyed being other people's bad luck.

There were two of them. Both kept their faces covered, and wore Stone's forehead protectors around their necks.

He was nearly behind one of them before his companion noticed him. The one who saw him lifted his veil long enough to spit needles at him, revealing smooth cheeks and a narrow chin. A woman or a young boy, Sasuke assessed critically. Probably a woman. Then she was running away, and he was looping a length of wire around the other's torso and throat.

Judging from the second's size and stance, it was also a woman. Her center of gravity was too low for a man.

A third length of wire caught her legs and sent her crashing to the floor.

Hinata arrived in time to grab the wires when Sasuke took off after the remaining assassin. Naruto caught up with him in the courtyard, after it was clear that the strange ninja was beating a hasty retreat. His mask was pale in the dark, and grinning fiercely. The desert air was cold, and empty, stinging Sasuke's arms and burning his nose.

By the time Kiba joined them, Sasuke and Naruto had lost the assassin's trail.

"Do you think it was a feint?" Naruto asked, staring at the ground as though a sign would spring up out of the dirt.

Shrugging, Sasuke told him that it wasn't impossible. "I would guess a scouting mission though. Either way, if they were taking us seriously, I'm insulted."

"Should we try to find her scent?" Kiba asked. His mask was that of a red dog, unsurprisingly. The dog's nose was angled into the wind.

Naruto shook his head, and Sasuke agreed. His pulse was steady as he said, "There's nothing to find out here." He breathed deeply, exhaling slow through his teeth. He tasted the air, found it empty. "We're too far off her. Let's head back."

His teammates nodded.

oOo

"What did you find?" Naruto asked when they returned.

"A suicide pill under her tongue," Shikamaru replied, his tone tired. "Ask how we found it."

It took a moment to process that. Naruto swore violently when the meaning hit him, then spotted Tsubaki kneeling on the floor beside Kameko. Closing his eyes, he bit his lip and a pretended that those big, dark eyes weren't fixed on him.

"She killed herself?" Kiba asked, surprised.

"Yup."

"But why?" Naruto pressed. "Did she know that her partner wasn't coming back?"

Shikamaru shook his head, sighing. "We don't know. We didn't have the chance to question her. She did it as soon as Hinata started searching her. My guess is that she didn't want to risk us finding the pill."

"That makes sense," Sasuke commented.

Kameko snorted. "Sense?"

"As much sense as sending two chuunin against five jounin and more armed guards," Shikamaru said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Either way is suicide."

The old woman snorted again. "I see. So, you five jounin have managed to lose one chuunin, and allow the other to kill herself. I see now what I have paid for." She glared at Naruto, black eyes glinting. Her mouth - nearly invisible without paint - tugged up into a sneer. "Bumbling."

"You're still alive," Naruto shot back automatically. He didn't regret it.

Kameko's lined face folded minutely in disapproval.

Tsubaki looked between Naruto and Kameko, folding her chubby hands tightly in her lap.

"We were underestimated," Hinata voiced. Her tone was soft, diffident, and utterly reasonable. Her white cat's mask was serene. "If it were otherwise, your son wouldn't have hired those two to kill you. They wouldn't have abandoned the job as soon as they were caught. And your guard wouldn't still be alive."

After a pause, she added, "I overestimated the prisoner. If I had been less cautious, she would not have had an opportunity to swallow that pill. I apologize."

Naruto scowled behind the safety of his own mask. He didn't like Hinata apologizing just to smooth over a conflict, even if there was a reprimand hidden in her apology.

"Better her dead than you," Shikamaru said. "However we have to assume that any future assassins won't be so ill-prepared."

"Or willing to kill themselves." Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "That one was ridiculously quick about it."

Kameko's face was icy. Her voice was colder. "If that's all you have to say, young sirs, then I think I am going to return to my bed."

After a moment, Shikamaru nodded. "I'll meet with Yori in the morning, ma'am. For the moment, I don't see any reason to do more than retime the patrols. Naruto, will you finish Kiba's watch with Kameko? I'd like Kiba to help me find where those women got in."

Kameko was not pleased. Her eyes narrowed. Thin mouth pressed into a hard line. Small nostrils flared. Naruto returned the sentiment whole heartedly. Pushing away his dislike, he crossed the room.

He stopped in front of Tsubaki, crouched down and said in his friendliest voice, "Are you ready to go back to bed?"

The little girl swallowed and nodded. Naruto felt a stab of pity for her. He could only imagine what it must be like her to be eight, with her own father trying to kill her. He wished he didn't have as good an idea as he did of how that felt. It was only when he offered her his hand only to have the girl scuttle back behind her grandmother's skirt that Naruto realized it was him she was afraid of.


	8. Seven

** Foxhunt  
**

Seven

The Lady Kameko slept well for a woman who'd just had an attempt on her life. Her dry, nasal snoring never missed a beat, in Naruto's opinion. Tsubaki, on the other hand, tossed and turned for hours. Her eyes, large in her small face and shining faintly in the dark, would open periodically, but she always squeezed them shut quickly. The soft, frustrated noises she made when she moved caught Naruto's attention repeatedly.

Naruto wanted to comfort her, but given her last reaction, he didn't think it would do much good.

A small part of his mind suggested that maybe it was his presence that kept her awake, not the assassination attempt. He didn't like that thought much, but it remained despite his best efforts to ignore it. If she was afraid of him, then sleeping with him in the corner couldn't be particularly easy. He saw the sense in that too much to dismiss it.

His throat went dry, but that might have been the damn incense. It stung his eyes, too. It made him itch worse than cigarette smoke. How something like that could be healthy was beyond him.

The sun was up by the time Sasuke came to relieve him, and Naruto was only too happy to let him take over. He staggered back to their billets, fatigue making him see spidery movement from the corner of his eyes. He was asleep nearly as soon as he fell across his pallet, and he didn't stir once until Hinata shook him awake.

oOo

Kiba eventually found the assassins scents on the lake shore. To all evidence, they'd come toward the house over the water. It was a needlessly showy choice on their part, and while Seigo's house guards might not think of attackers walking across the lake, it was pure luck that they'd avoided Sasuke and Hinata's patrols.

He told Shikamaru as much when the teamleader emerged from his meeting with Yori.

"Tche," Shikamaru noised. "I'm surprised they got as far as they did."

Kiba could only nod his agreement. "It seems like it was a botch job from the beginning."

Grumbling unhappily, Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'd think it was a feint, but to sacrifice a chuunin on a fake, then not even follow through with an attack..."

"Looks like it wasn't a fake, then," Kiba said.

Shikamaru shook his head, annoyed. "Something isn't right here. I just can't figure out what it means."

oOo

Reluctantly, fighting all the way, Naruto opened his eyes. It was already late in the afternoon. Slanting white light filtered in through the vents, washing the billets in a fine, powdery illumination. It hit Naruto's eyes like dust; he squinted, blinking and struggling to focus.

"Naruto," Hinata said, giving him another shake. "It's your shift."

He groaned, closing his eyes again. Maybe this was a dream, and it would go away if he ignored it long enough. He ached, his eyes, his throat, his ears, every large muscle in his body burning faintly with fatigue. "Just laid down," he grumbled. "Can't be me 'gain yet."

"It's after four," Hinata said, and her gentle fingers gave his shoulder a stubborn squeeze. "It's your shift with Seigo Kameko in less than half an hour."

"Can't be," he muttered again, closing his eyes tighter. He didn't care if he sounded childish. And he did, even to his own ears. Damn it, he couldn't be up again.

"Please, Naruto," her voice dropped, prodding him with the words. "Everyone's tired, and it's Sasuke's turn to rest."

"Bastard doesn't need sleep," Naruto said, but his eyes opened again. "His kind are supposed to suck the blood of virgins for their energy. Something like that."

Dropping her eyes, Hinata smiled a little. "If that were the case, he'd be the one sleeping all day, Naruto, not you."

He pushed himself up on his elbows, grunting. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Take the bloodsucker's side."

He didn't bother hiding his smile at the end.

"Maybe I'll tell Sasuke you called him that."

Naruto grinned then. "Oh, c'mon. You didn't really the guy drank tomato juice in the morning, did you? Who does that? Blood would be_ less _ nasty."

"Mm, of course." She sat back, eyes looking at him through black eyelashes and white, autumn afternoon haze. "They're going to be waiting for you."

Huffing, Naruto reached for his shirt, realized belatedly that he was still wearing it, and tried to cover the mistake by stretching and raking his fingers through his hair. That was close to presentable, right? Of course, it was. Good enough for that brittle old bitch. He made a mental note to be a little easier on Tsunade for awhile. She wasn't quite as much of a hag as he thought she was after all. He swung his legs out in front of him, flexed, still not hurrying to get moving.

"I'll be there. Lucky them, they won't miss out on some of my shift."

A frown tugged at her lips at his tone, pulled at her brows, and he kind of felt bad about it. Kind of. "Get some breakfast before you go," she said instead of scolding him. Sakura would have scolded him. She would have had a reason, too, but Hinata let it slide. "You're going to have trouble staying awake if you don't take care of yourself."

Naruto drew a deep, heavy breath, then let it out in a sigh. Groaning theatrically, he levered himself up to his feet. "Sure," he told her, and winked. "And I'll make sure to wash behind my ears too."

Then he left, waving over his shoulder as he stepped outside.

Fresh air hit his face like cold water, and he took a deep breath. Okay, he decided, letting it clear some of the fog from sleep from his head. He'd swing by the kitchen and steal whatever was out, then off to take over with Kameko. Maybe they had some prunes there that he could slip the exalted lady and loosen her ass a bit. He imagined it must be as wrinkled and tight-puckered as the rest of her. No wonder she was such a sour cunt. For a moment, he entertained the idea of a joke, and it was enough to give him the energy to get moving, even if he'd shrugged it off by the time he got to the kitchen. Still, the idea might just get him through a few hours with Kameko.

His fox mask was down over his face when he finally reached the lady's chambers, hiding his smirk.

oOo

Sasuke liked Shikamaru insofar as he trusted him to lead the team well. If anyone could see through a messy scheme, it was him. For that, Sasuke respected him, despite whatever differences of opinion they might have, even if his attitude occasionally frustrated him. Shikamaru didn't let things cloud his judgment, and largely, if he saw a way to accomplish a goal, he got it done.

Sasuke appreciated effectiveness.

But he hated relying on it in someone else, and he hated more relying on it when he himself was blind.

Something was wrong here. He could feel it. He could smell it. He could taste it in the air, pulled across his tongue on every breath like the minerals in the lake and just as bitter. What he couldn't do was see what it was, or make out what belonged on the missing pieces of the puzzle he found before him. If anyone could, he trusted that it was Shikamaru, but even he needed enough of the picture to fill in the blanks, and Sasuke had no way of knowing if he had it.

He did suspect, as Sasuke suspected, and it troubled him too. Perhaps that's why they both found themselves here, on the gravel beach, looking out over the bright water.

"I thought you were sleeping," Shikamaru said without looking away from the lake. Sasuke scanned the surface of the water, but didn't see anything.

"I had things on my mind," Sasuke replied softly after a moment, disliking the feel of revealing even that much of what was on his mind.

Shikamaru barked a short laugh. "You don't say?"

"You don't know what it is either," Sasuke observed. It wasn't a question.

The other ninja's eyes dropped, studying the stones at their feet. After a moment, he leaned over and picked up a weathered rock, weighing it in his hand. "Not yet. There's something missing, and I can't quite figure out what it is."

Sasuke listened, silently agreeing. He didn't expect Shikamaru to continue, but he did, tossing the rock in the air and catching it experimentally. "It's a trap," he said, and there wasn't any doubt in his voice. "It has to be. This whole thing is a trap, but I can't tell who for. Us? Someone after you or Hinata for your eyes? Or are we the bait? They haven't moved yet... why? What are they waiting for? What are they interested in?" He drew back his arm and threw, letting the stone fly. It skipped across the still green water, leaving rings in its wake. "If I could figure out what they want, I'd have it."

"What they want?" Sasuke repeated, surprised. The pieces started sliding together. When he spoke again, his voice was grim. "What makes you say that?"

Turning, Shikamaru sighed and shrugged. "The attack. It wasn't real. It was for our benefit. That's the only thing that makes sense. Why else would it be so pathetic? There are other things, too. The guards, Yori, the rest. They're all waiting for something, they're all watching for something, but whatever it is..." he gestured out, including all the hills and battered rock around them, "it's not out there."

Sasuke closed his eyes, replaying their time here in his mind. The first meeting. The mission outline. The lady, Kameko, asking why there were so many of them. The guards. The attack. The lady's eyes watching them out of her shrewd face; but not all of them. Almost never all of them. Only Naruto.

That wasn't so strange. Naruto was good at making himself obtrusive. Many people paid attention to him, especially when he wouldn't shut up and let their squad leader talk. But Kameko had talked to him.

A trap.

"What do you know?" Shikamaru asked; he saw the change in Sasuke's stance.

"No time," Sasuke snapped, turning on his heel and running for the main building. If he was wrong, then he was making a fool of himself, which was not something he did lightly. But Naruto was there now, with the old woman and her granddaughter, and this was a trap for someone.

Naruto.

oOo

The silence was too heavy. Maybe old people could be that quiet, fucking hag would probably break if she moved to fast or something, but kids shouldn't be. Naruto wouldn't have known Tsubaki was in the room if he couldn't see her, kneeling there on the floor beside her grandmother's stiff-backed chair. A girl shouldn't look that much like a doll. She shouldn't be that well behaved, never fidgeting, never speaking, hell, never _sneezing_ because of the incense that crazy old woman seemed to demand on burning all day.

Naruto wheezed softly behind his mask. He'd been resisting the urge to rub his dry nose for fifteen or twenty minutes now, waiting in Kameko's receiving room, and to hell with Anbu decorum or whatever the hell he was supposed to do, if someone didn't open a window soon, he was going to take out a wall.

Maybe some fresh air would do the girl some good. Couldn't hurt, could it?

Kameko's long nails clicked on her chair arm twice, sharp on the ninja's ear in the oppressive silence, and a servant put more of that fucking incense in the brazier in the corner, sending up curling ribbons of smoke. Naruto had to bite his lip to keep from groaning, or possibly growling.

Something must have escaped, because Kameko's face turned toward him. Her painted on slash of a mouth pursed thoughtfully. "Problem, ninja?" she asked.

Naruto grunted and hunched a little. Nothing being on a train back to Konoha couldn't fix. "No," he said, rather than sulking, but he wanted to. Oh, how he wanted to. "Just settling in."

Her mouth twitched into an expression too ugly and too weak to honestly warrant being called a smile. Naruto twitched a little. "Bored? Perhaps you were hoping for more assassins."

Naruto huffed, almost making a snide comment, but then he thought of the girl sitting on the floor, and bit it back. He wilted a little. It wasn't Tsubaki's fault her grandmother was baiting him. She didn't deserve to hear what was on his mind. Even if Kameko deserved it enough for six people.

"Well, ninja," Kameko continued, and Naruto almost thought she was disappointed he didn't snarl at her, "Yori will be here soon. Perhaps that will give you a bit more entertainment?"

Snorting - then snuffing, clearing his nose - Naruto leaned back against the support beam he'd taken up position by.

More minutes dragged out with nothing to distinguish them but the crackling of the brazier and the flicker of oil light. Long, boring, thick minutes.

Then, finally, there were footsteps coming their way, and Naruto nearly heaved a sigh of relief. Anything, even listening to a meeting, was better than all this sitting and waiting and waiting and fucking _waiting_ while nothing happened.

The door opened, and in stepped Yori, his scarred face grim. Seeing that face, Naruto straightened a bit. He almost expected the next words out of the soldier's mouth to be word of more assassins, or Kameko's possibly justifiably matricidal son. A look passed between Kameko and Yori. Yori's brows drew together, and he gave up the barest of nods.

Kameko's expression didn't change in the least.

Yori shut the door behind him, and the bolt slid home.

Naruto pushed away from the support, the hairs on the back of his neck and his arms standing on end. There was a question on his tongue, and he was figuring out how to word it, or if he even should. Something stopped it in his mouth; something in the look on Yori's face, and the silence, and the acrid scent of incense smoke.

Kameko stood, her formal kimono crumpling stiffly, her cane in hand.

"Tsubaki," she murmured, voice caressing the girl's name in a way Naruto hadn't heard come from her mouth before. It was a thin, satisfied word, cutting in its superiority.

The girl made a soft noise of assent, and folded her hands, bowing her head.

Naruto frowned, stopped in his tracks. A shock went through him, from confusion or something else, something that hung over him, waiting to fall.

Tsubaki started to pray.

There was no more time for confusion then, as the world suddenly lit up. Bright orange, deep red, and black, each one of them vivid and burning through him as the lamps flared and seals came to life like coals on the walls, on the pillars, in a ring on the floor. Heat swept through Naruto, up through the soles of his feet, through his limbs, through his fingers, up into his belly where it pooled in a way that was all too familiar. It nestled there, raw and powerful, fur, damp heat, a low, growling chuckle.

Then pain. Sudden, wracking pain. Naruto tensed against his will, his muscles burning. Cramps knotted his hands and his feet, twisted up his calves and shoulders and into his gut, pushing his heart up to pound in his throat. He couldn't breathe around it, couldn't get air. Only more of that smoke, thick and choking, filled his lungs. The smell was razor edged. His eyes stung. The air was alive with something burningly astringent.

Red light build around him, and in the seals that glared sullenly from every angle, sending up thin black tendrils of smoke of their own. Sulfur and singed wood.

In the hellish light, Tsubaki glowed softly, a cold, pure white.

Naruto fell to one knee. They were chanting around him. Had been for a moment, but he didn't understand them. Couldn't. The words were garbled to his ears. Mangled like a scrambled transmission. His ears were filled with static. Discordant, jarring, painful, and growing louder as they repeated their words. They buzzed in his head, down his spine.

The Kyuubi, inside him, was spared for a moment. The smells and the sounds, the white glow, filtered through Naruto as he tried to get back to his feet. It tried to get in, tried to saturate him, diluting the power that coiled in his belly.

The seals flickered silver briefly, then back to that red, that deep, unnatural red.

Inside him, the fox began to howl and thrash. Naruto blinked haze from his eyes, panting, and fell to his hands and knees again. Through the blur, he could see his fingers, the curved claws at the tips of them, the chakra sizzling off his skin like water off hot iron.

The fox howled, and Naruto screamed.

oOo

All of a sudden, the estate guards had delusions of competency. Sasuke put those down before they could reach fruition, showing them in quick, certain terms the difference between him and them. They fell as he passed, gasping or screaming, or boneless and eerily silent. The fact they tried to stop the Konoha ninja now was proof enough that they had become the enemy, had been from the beginning, and lethal force slipped into Sasuke's mission parameters as naturally as waking up.

Shikamaru wasn't as fast, and perhaps he had detoured to find help. Sasuke didn't know and didn't care. The halls of the Seigo compound unwound before him, giving way to a locked, sealed door. He had a moment to decide whether or not to charge through or open it conventionally.

He almost regretted that skidding to a halt was the safer decision when he heard the noise from the other side. He didn't recognize the voice, but he knew who it had to be, and his throat tightened minutely. But he didn't know these sigils, and barging in might conceivable make things worse.

Sasuke didn't know Kameko, but he knew Orochimaru, and he knew Kabuto, and he knew the kind of fail-safes they put in their locks. Sasuke ground his teeth, Sharingan reddening his vision, and studied the seals. After a visual check, he touched them warily. Nothing.

Whatever they were, they weren't meant for him. That worried more than it reassured.

He drew his weapon slowly, focusing his chakra. He could hear the others, not bothering to cover their running footfalls as they caught up. They'd be there too, soon.

Taking a deep breath, he laid his hand over the seal. His chakra released in a quick, blue-white flash, leaving the smell of ozone in the air after it and blackening the seal to nothing, not even scratches on the door. He set his heel, narrowed his eyes, and attacked the door next. It blew inward, spraying the room with splinters, and letting lurid red light pour out. Shadows twisted, sick things that didn't belong outside of nightmares, growing deep as they turned to see him.

Kameko - Sasuke identified her as the leader instantly, it couldn't be anyone else - frowned. "Tsubaki," she said in an uncompromising tone, "don't stop unless I tell you to. One moment before, and I'll box your ears so hard you won't hear for a month."

Like that.

The girl faltered an instant, shifting, but then she stilled. Her eyes squeezed shut. She prayed like a child afraid of demons, and the room lightened in a way that was nothing to do with tricks of the mind. Sasuke saw it, the way the atmosphere changed. The air cooled, the shadows slunk away.

Naruto made a sound that humans shouldn't make, not ever, not and live afterwards.

Sasuke needed no more encouragement than that.

The captain of the guard adjusted his grip on his spear haft, moving slowly into position to intercept Sasuke. The Uchiha's eyes darted to him, and he turned his wrist, dropped his chin. His foot slid back into a ready stance. Offensive. Sasuke was in no mood for playing games.

But then Kameko spoke again. "The others, Yori. You can't handle this one."

Sasuke might have thought it a joke, but he knew better. And he knew better than to underestimate, as Kameko let her outer kimono fall away. Sasuke shifted his form again, toes of the leading foot sliding forward, weight back, grounded. He'd already given up his element of surprise. His mind went over his options, variables sifting through his mind and before his eyes.

The others burst in, Akamaru leading, and Sasuke ignored them. Yori rushed to meet them. That would keep him from Sasuke's back while he dealt with the old woman.

A mechanism clicked, and Kameko's cane split in two. She drew the grip up, slowly revealing two inches of shining metal blade. Sasuke chose his moment, striking then with all the speed the snake had given him. If she thought he was going to wait on her showmanship, she would be disappointed.

Kameko was fast. Surprisingly so, even accepting that she was more than she seemed, even expecting her to know her business, she was fast. Sword met sword, her blade parrying his with expert grace, her wrist turning, sword blade moving like a serpent as she guided it. He was stronger, he felt it in the way she had to give, had to take his force and redirect it rather than returning it, but she knew what she was doing. He felt that, too.

There was something familiar, something close and disturbingly intimate about the way they matched for a second. He could feel her resolve in her sword, and her calculating mind, her controlled hand.

Sasuke was almost grateful when she backed away, breaking the connection. The reprieve didn't last. He had to attack again. Sword met sword, ringing against one another. Neither of them intended to lose here. Sasuke felt it as she matched him for another exchange. She expected to win.

oOo

Fresh air tickled Naruto's nostrils. Panting, he clawed at his mask when he smelled it, tossing the thing aside and gulping hard. There wasn't enough of it. There wasn't. But it was there, and he could feel it. He needed it. Inside him, the fox could smell it too, and it pressed its nose against the bars of its cage, straining for it.

The world was a jumble seething red and black pitted with poisonous white, so nowhere was safe, nowhere was right. He could hardly see through it, couldn't think through it at all.

But there was air. Where there was air, there was a way out. The animal in him, the back of his human mind or the root of the demon or the cunning instincts of the fox, that part of him that knew without thinking, it struggled toward the air. The snare he was in, it wasn't closed, not entirely. Not anymore. He struggled for it with all his strength, the man, the demon and the animal.

oOo

Underestimating Hinata was nearly the last mistake Yori made. He charged the young woman, and she knew she must have seemed like the best choice. She was the one who soothed ruffled feathers, the one who backed down and looked away from confrontations. He forgot that she was a Hyuuga, or he thought, maybe, that it didn't matter. He thought, perhaps, that she was not a Hyuuga in the way that her sister or her cousin was Hyuuga, and Byakugan or no, he attacked her first rather than Kiba.

And perhaps he was right. Hinata had to admit that had he attacked Neji, he would most likely be dead in that moment, rather than clutching his useless arm to his side as he retreated.

"Oi, Hinata," Kiba growled. "Check on Naruto. I got this guy."

"No," Shikamaru cut him off. "Don't." There was no explanation for that, but a note of frustration in his voice as the shadows writhed away from him, possessed by something more than the normal laws of light and dark.

Before she could question him, Naruto lurched, stumbling to his feet, then falling back to his knees. His back arched and his teeth bared in a snarl. Orange chakra bubbled out of him, frothy and spinning.

Akamaru whined, and Hinata, despite her training, turned to look at him. She hadn't heard that sound in years. Not since Gaara.

oOo

Sasuke heard Tsubaki whimper. Kameko heard it too, and her sword slipped a moment. Sasuke's crept past her guard, the edge sliding through her sleeve and across the ropy muscle of her bicep almost without resistance. The old woman swore and spat. A needle, a ninja's trick and one Sasuke knew very well, but it drove him back. There was no knowing what was in that woman's mouth.

He was back in an instant, ready to press her again. He had first blood, and with her body, there was no way she'd last long after he'd clipped her. The problem was, Kameko wasn't there when he attacked. Fast, too fast, she was beside the girl, dragging her to her feet. Sasuke marked, already moving to follow, that Tsubaki was bleeding herself; a thin trickle of it leaked from her nose and rolled down her chin. Dazed, the girl didn't even wipe it away.

"Yori, _now,_" Kameko snapped.

"Stop them!" Shikamaru ordered, sounding for a moment every bit the leader.

Sasuke followed Kameko, sword naked in his hand and not ready to be sheathed. He wasn't done yet.

One lamp went out, then another, and another, each extinguishing itself without warning. The whiteness, the light that had relieved some of the unnatural crimson glow and shadows, faded away entirely, leaving the room in eerie red and black relief.

In the middle of it stood Naruto. A Naruto whose slitted eyes saw none of them. Whose face was marked and alien. Whose chakra roiled off of him, so rank that even Sasuke had to shy away for a moment as the ofuda on the walls all ignited, their script burning to life and then to nothing, scarring the walls and the floor with char.

"What the –"

"Naruto?"

Kiba's voice, then Hinata's.

Kameko, Yori and the girl were gone.

"Fuck," that was Sasuke, hissed under his breath.

Naruto swayed on his feet, rounding on them with all the grace of a wounded beast. There was no recognition in his face. Then he blinked. Still nothing, nothing Sasuke could be sure of, not before Naruto toppled to the floor, his breath coming in hoarse, audible wheezes.

Hinata started toward him, ignoring an abortive command from Shikamaru and a worried exclamation from Kiba. She went to her knees beside him, her hands moving over him in a barely controlled flurry. She checked his vitals, searched for wounds, soothed him, all without a single question.

After it became apparent that Naruto wasn't going to move again, Shikamaru approached Sasuke. He was frowning deeply, more tired than angry. "What do you know, Uchiha?"

"No more than you do," Sasuke told him, watching as Hinata worked.


End file.
